


Charity Balls and a Super Falls (in Love)

by Rykeral



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2018-11-21 07:35:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 49,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11352831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rykeral/pseuds/Rykeral
Summary: Its time for National City's Annual Charity Ball (and Auction) and who other than Lena Luthor wins the 'date' with the city's Girl of Steel. Of course Kara gets jealous that Lena has a date with Supergirl and Cat does some plotting of her own.A gift for the talented duo: Rhino (RhinoMouse) as thanks for 'Lena Luthor: Evil Overlord.'





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rhino (RhinoMouse)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RhinoMouse/gifts).



“Now…shift a little bit to the left,” James instructed and Lena eyed him a moment before shifting her body and tilting her chin imperiously.

“Good,” he cooed, mostly to his camera as he took a few shots. “Okay, and now another pose.”

Lena’s jaw rippled a moment but she obeyed, though her eyes flashed in annoyance.

Click. Click. Click.

“Okay-“

“I think Miss Luthor has had enough, don’t you think?” A strong voice interrupted and James and the CatCo photoshoot team flinched and spun to see Cat Grant standing in the door way with one hand on her hip and the other tapping the frame of her glasses against her lips. She looked good for her absence. There was a glow to her skin and a warmth to her and she seemed fuller somehow, but the iron she shrouded herself with was present as she took in a frozen James Olsen.

“As soon as you’re ready James will show you to my office for your interview,” she smiled politely at Lena and then her features turned frosty as she turned back to the photographer. “Won’t you, Mr. Olsen.”

James swallowed and gave a sharp nod. Kara was going to be the one to interview Lena after L-Corp won the biggest tech innovation at last weeks National City Technology, Engineering and Design Awards, but now Cat Grant was back, she would be the one to pick through the CEO’s brain.

“You have the photo’s you need?” It wasn’t a question and James nodded quickly.

“Good. Now back to work,” she commanded and spun and clicked from the room and her presence fled the room with her.

A collective breath was released as soon as they heard her footsteps fade.

James took a moment and then looked over at Lena. “Um… if you want to go back to your room I’ll have someone escort you to Cat’s office.”

Lena rose gracefully from her chair and gave him a regal nod. “Yes, thank you Mr Olsen.” For all the man had run the story on her supposed guilt without a shard of actual evidence, he was a friend of Kara’ s and she would treat him fairly, even if she was a little bit bitter about it. Honestly, the doctored footage was a hatchet job and anyone looking would have been able to determine that in an instant. But no one did. She was a Luthor. Why would they? But still, she was a professional and though she’d not let her ire for the man fade, she would be polite in public. Image was everything, after all.

One of his assistants was waiting for her when she was ready to leave and soon she was back in her own clothes. The familiar comfort of her jeans and heels was a relief as she clicked along behind one of the interns and soon she was in the bright spaces of the top floor of CatCo.

“Thank you,” Lena said politely as the intern knocked and Cat glanced up from where she was already reviewing some paper-work to invite her in.

“Miss Luthor,” her business smile was in full force as she clicked around her desk and approached with her hand out.

“Cat,” Lena inclined her head and shifted her hand bag over her shoulder to accept the handshake.

“I didn’t realise you had returned to CatCo… how was your vacation?” Lena enquired politely.

Cat sighed. “It was simply wonderful but I found myself bored on multiple occasions….”

“No one to terrify in the Bahamas, then?” Lena ached her brow and took a seat as Cat draped herself over her other sofa. There was already a water there and a pen, pad, and her cell phone ready for the interview.

Cat settled back with a smile Lena couldn’t place.

“Mh, “ she gave a non-committal hum and Lena shifted back on the couch and gave off the impression of nonchalance, though internally she was weary and watchful. She was in Cat’s domain now, and knew the CEO would be picking up on every moment and word she made. She was the Queen of all media for a reason.

“Miss Grant. I’ve got your- oh Lena! H-hi!”

Lena turned and felt her customary smile settle on her face as she saw Kara Danvers standing in the doorway with a big smile and a cup of coffee in her hand.

“Hello, Kara,” Lena said and ran her eyes over the blonde as she stepped into the room and brought Cat her latte. Kara was wearing a sweet, white sun-dress, pale loafers, and had a light blue, long-sleeve shirt over the top. Her hair was back in a plat and she smiled over at Lena as she turned from Cat.

“What are you do-ing here?” She enquired and Lena caught Cat raise her brow and then school her features.

“Wait, sorry, that sounded rude,” Kara answered herself and shook her head before looking back at Lena.

“It’s fine, Kara,” Lena felt her lips curling at the answering smile Kara shot her. “I have an interview, actually,” she said and turned to look at Cat.

“Cat’s decided to do it herself….which was a surprise….” Cat just smirked but Lena did let it throw her off. “I hadn’t realised you were back.”

Kara nodded eagerly and took a few steps towards her, not blocking her from Cat’s sight, but almost as though she had forgotten her boss was there. “Oh, yeah. Miss Grant scared- I mean,” Kara cut herself off abruptly and her hand came up to fiddle with her glasses. “Miss Grant _surprised_ everyone this morning when she came in.”

Cat wasn’t even hiding her self-satisfied smile at that. She clearly knew exactly the affect she had on her employees. Lena had a similar affect, but she hoped she didn’t terrify them like Cat did. She wanted their respect and their highest quality work, with as little drama as possible.

“That will be all, Keira,” Cat had clearly had enough of the discussion without her and she tilted her head slightly as Lena’s eyes flashed.

“O-of course Miss Grant,” Kara ducked her head a little cast a final, shy glance at Lena, and then quickly left the office.

“The door, Kiera,” Cat intoned dryly and Kara scuttled back to close it for them.

“It’s Kara,” Lena said sharply once the door was closed and didn’t falter as Cat’s piercing eyes locked on her own. “Her name… is _Kara_ ,” she emphasised and could feel her hackles rising. “I know everyone calls you a self-centred bitch but she’s been working for you for years…. You should at least know her name.”

If Cat was surprised and put off by her hostility she didn’t comment on it, she merely raised a brow. “And how do you know my assistant so well?”

“Former,” Lena cut across quickly, and knew she shouldn’t be acting so aggressive, especially with a reporter, and especially with a woman of Cat Grant’s reach, but she couldn’t help it. Kara was her friend and she deserved more respect than what Cat was showing her.

“Interesting,” Cat rolled the word around, almost to herself, but her eyes seemed to be looking into Lena’s soul and she forced herself to stay still. “You didn’t answer the question.”

“I didn’t realise it was pertinent to our interview,” Lena shot back and let herself internally cheer when Cat’s eyes narrowed. She tilted her head, contemplative, and her mind seemed elsewhere as she took Lena in. It took her a moment but she blinked back to the conversation and the reason for Lena’s presence when she shifted her legs to the side and asked, innocently, if she was here for an interview or not.

Cat ducked her head slightly, perhaps acknowledging the comment and then crossed her legs and balanced her questions on them as she held up her phone in one hand and a pen in the other.

“Mind if I record this?” She clicked the button on anyway and Lena could see the numbers change from over the coffee table.

“Now, Miss Luthor….” Cat began, and if Lena had any thoughts on Cat’s attention being elsewhere, it was soon debunked. Cat was as sharp as her reputation told, and didn’t hold back, asking some very hard questions. But Lena was trained in dealing with the media, and she navigated any potential pitfalls Cat laid before her with ease and grace. She thought she had at least gained her respect from it.

As soon as the part where she had to discuss her family, mother, her false-imprisonment, and Supergirl’s rescue, had passed, she could feel herself relax, but didn’t let her guard down. Cat was still Cat and she might throw something in there. No doubt she had been keeping up with the Luthor news and knew of the articles Kara had written, and that the questions she was asking were already answered in previous interviews, but Cat did like to start from scratch.

Lena was very eager to talk about her company, and made sure to thank her shareholders and investors for staying with L-Corp’s ideals even with everything happening lately. She praised her employees and their work and was charming when discussing the technology that won the science award, explaining it in layman’s terms for Cat, but doing so with charm and no sign of being patronising.

“And L-Corp supports a lot of charity work, here, and around the world,” Cat began and Lena nodded in agreement, sensing something was coming.

“Yes. We support various charities and the work they do. L-Corp has a ‘work day’ initiative where all employees go out and do various charity work for the day, and we make a donation to the staff’s choice of charity.”

Cat looked interested in this. “Oh, and what is it you do?”

“We clean beaches and river ways, plant trees. We send groups to animal shelters, homeless shelters, food kitchens, and organisations that help people and animals and generally keep the city a nice place to live. We have one at the end of the month, if you are willing to join in, Cat.”

Cat’s jaw moved a little, perhaps in distaste. Cat gave a lot of money to charity, Lena knew that, but she rarely gave her time. “And will we see you out there?”

“Of course,” Lena smiled and leant forward. “My staff have to decide where I’ll be this year…. Either at the RDA Stables or down on the beach.”

Cat didn’t contain her smirk at this. “So you’ll be shovelling shit or picking up rubbish?”

Lena knew this initiative was one that existed all of the country and world, no doubt, but it was a paid day for her employees where they gave back to their communities. It wasn’t a publicity stunt, though people were welcome to come and help them.

“Yes,” Lena laughed, careful to make light of it, when she had a feeling Cat was digging… for something… she couldn’t pin what it was. “I have always participated and I will as long as I can. They are all good causes and I meet amazing people.”

Cat seemed to have found what she was looking for as she sat back a little and the conversation turned lighter. “Speaking of amazing people,” she said and Lena knew Cat had finally got to the point. “The Annual Charity Auction is being held this year…. Are you planning on participating? Surely a woman with your charitable aspirations wouldn’t hesitate.”

Ah, so there it was. Lena tilted her head cautiously. “I hadn’t thought of it,” she said carefully. “I’m really not that interesting of a date.”

“In the past you’ve donated and even offered a few bids yourself, why not try something new this year?”

Lena’s eyes narrowed and she stared across the space at Cat. “I’m certain that the charities of the night would be grateful for a donation, and I’ll spare some poor sod the trails of an evening with me talking about work. Why don’t you participate?”

Cat’s eyes flashed but there was a tilt to her lips, perhaps in respect.

“I’d terrify any potential date,” Cat said and she was grinning, a full-toothed dangerous smile.

Lena inclined her head.

“I’ll tell you what!” Cat exclaimed as an idea came to her and Lena waited for the other shoe to drop. “I’ll get Supergirl to participate!” She clapped her hands, an overt display of enthusiasm that didn’t suit her.

Lena winced and there was a faint sound of a crash outside and they spun to see a man standing over a figure on the floor.

Cat just sighed and rolled her eyes and turned back to Lena.

“What do you say, Miss Luthor? Are you willing to sacrifice a few hours for charity?”

Seeing she had been played, and played very well Lena tilted her head back and gave a regal nod. “Of course. I look forward to seeing the public bid on your hero,” she added pointedly.

Cat met her gaze and knew that while she had trapped Lena, Lena had also trapped Supergirl, and by extension, Cat and Catco.

They ended the interview and Lena rose fluidly to shake Cat’s hand and shook Cat’s hand firmly.

“I look forward to seeing you there, Cat.”

She smiled politely and then saw herself out. Cat had a cool, commanding presence like her mother did and she didn’t particularly enjoy it. She paused part-way to the elevator when she saw Kara sitting up with a glass of water in her hand and a few employees standing around her. She was surrounded by boxes of paper and filing and a few interns were already helping put it into piles.

“Kara?” She felt her heart clench with worry and quickened her steps. She heard Cat Grant behind her and also saw the employees scatter back to their jobs.

Kara looked up at her sheepishly. “Oh, hey… Lena…. Um,” she cast a glance around her and Lena relaxed a hair. “I um, walked into the wall?”

There was a bit of a dent in said wall, but Lena merely lifted an eyebrow and filed that away for later as Kara quickly stammered out, “I think the plaster was already crumbling….”

Lena sighed in relief and then shook her head fondly down at the blushing reporter. Of course Kara Danvers; reporter by day and Superhero by night (metaphorically) would walk into a wall and then blame it on the wall.

“You are so clumsy,” she said and held her hand out for Kara to take and Kara took it immediately. Her skin was warm and soft and Lena felt her heart bounce in her chest as their skin touched.

Kara went even redder and had her features scrunched up as she looked up at her. Her heels let her have a few inches on Kara and she liked it. “No….” she protested and adjusted her glasses. “I’m not.”

“You’re adorable,” Lena blurted and then blushed and bit her lip, but Kara went even redder and glanced down at her feet.

“Am not,” she said shyly, glancing up at Lena from under her lashes.

Lena felt her smile pull wider and shook her head a little.

They were still holding hands, now way past the time limit of what was acceptable for just a helping hand up.

“Keira! Why are you just standing there?” Cat Grant demanded and Lena felt her ire towards the woman grow.

“I’ll see you later, _Kara_ ,” Lena emphasised and ran her fingers absently along Kara’s palm as she pulled away.

“B-ye,” Kara said weakly and almost sagged against the wall she’d just walked in to.

“Have you not eaten anything today, Keira?” She heard Cat demand of Kara and then complain faintly, “Honestly, you millennials. Starvation isn’t a sexy way to lose weight… if you wanted to get rid of that puppy fat I recommend…”

Lena growled internally but maintained her careful outer composure. Cat Grant had no right to dare say anything like that to Kara. Sweet, kind, generous, good and beautiful Kara. Beautiful. Her thoughts stumbled to a halt and her footsteps faltered but she quickly straightened and hid in the elevator, which, thankfully, had just let some interns off.

Her cool glare kept anyone else from getting on while her thoughts spun like a hurricane.

As the door shut to the elevator she let herself fall against it and took several deep breathes. She’d just called Kara beautiful. In her head, but still. It’s not like it wasn’t true, she argued with herself. Anyone with eyes could see that the bubbly Danvers was beautiful, but her beauty was on the inside and shone from her. She was lovely, inside and out.

Not sure of her reaction Lena tried to talk herself through it as the elevator descended, and each time the door opened she straightened and stared straight at the person who suddenly decided they would wait for the next elevator. _You’ve called your friends beautiful before, or at least you did, when you had them,_ she told herself. And it was true. She’d gone to boarding school with a gorgeous red-head with the most amazing jaw-line and she was beautiful. It was fact. As certain as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.

And Kara Danvers was beautiful, that was as true as her light, her happiness and her joy and love. So… why did it affect her so?

It’s not like she had a crush on her or anything…. For the second time that day and thinking about the cute cub reporter, her thoughts screeched to a halt. Oh. Oh….shit!


	2. Chapter 2

“You. Did. What?”

Kara caught Winn wince sympathetically in the reflection of his monitor and huddle into his headset to try and avoid the current show-down between Alex and her sister. Alex was actually terrifying when she was like this; hands on her hips, glare firmly in place with her lips pressed together in a tight line and dark eyes flashing. There was even a dusting of rage on her cheeks.

“I…um, er, _Supergirl_ ,” Kara emphasised and lifted her hand to adjust glasses that weren’t on her face. She settled for toying with the end of her sleeves and then let them hang at her sides. She didn’t feel much like a hero with the glare her sister was giving her. “Is going to be a date for the Annual National City Charity Gal-a?” She trailed off, seeing her sister bristle even further, if that were possible, and swell with rage. She knew she was in trouble when she saw Alex’s jaw move and her mouth open before she blinked, worked her jaw again and then ran her tongue along her teeth. Kara swallowed.

“J’onn!” Alex thundered and Kara flinched, as did Winn and he curled his shoulders and pointedly started to type very fast and look very busy.

It took the Martian a few moments to appear and when he did both Danvers sisters turned to him immediately. They spoke in unison.

“KaraagreedtogototheAnualCharityGalaandauctionherselfoffasSupergirlforadatetellhershecant!”

“CattrickedmeandLenaintoitandIcouldntsaynosocanIgoandcanyougetAlextoletmeplease?”

The DEO Director blinked. Hesitated. And blinked again. In a very human move he pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply.

“Let me get this straight,” he said on exhale, voice a soft rumble of thunder and lowered his hand. “You,” he pointed to Kara and she bounced on her heels in her Supergirl uniform. “Were tricked into volunteering as a-a,”

“A piece of meat,” Alex helpfully interjected and he shot her a look and she straightened and fell silent.

“As a….” he searched for the word. “You offered a date with Supergirl to the winning bidder,” he eventually settled on. “At the annual National City Charity Gala and Auction because Cat Grant, the woman you’ve worked for, for over three years, tricked you into it?”

Kara hesitated. His voice had been steady and without any trace of ire or sarcasm so she gave a short sharp nod.

“Three _years_ , Kara.”

Kara nodded again, now sensing that perhaps J’onn wasn’t as calm and collected on the inside as he was on the outside. Alex barely concealed her smug look.

“She can’t do it,” Alex said suddenly, eyes locked on J’onn’s. “What if someone recognises her?”

J’onn held his hand up to quieten her and looked seriously at Kara.

“Annnnd you’re okay with this?”

Alex’s jaw tightened and her brows almost merged into one line with how fiercely she was frowning.

Kara thought a moment and then nodded slowly. “It’s not just women, if that’s what you’re worried about. There’s guys as well like, film stars and that sports guy from those beer ads and that one that mum,” she nodded to Alex, “ thinks is cute and it’s not giving the message that a woman or anyone can be bought for a price and the organisers have taken care-“

“That wasn’t what I was worried about,” J’onn interjected before Kara listed each of the offered stars and the steps the event organisers had gone too diminish the negative connotations auctioning on celebrities in exchange for their time could cause.

“National City, the World, is very interested in you,” J’onn rumbled softly, dark eyes grave and serious. “You are willingly offering your time to _anyone_ ,” he emphasised. “We can’t know what their intentions are. I’m not worried about you as Supergirl, Kara,” he said softly and Alex gave a firm nod. “I’m worried about Kara-Kara.”

Kara felt warmth flare at her chest and dashed forward to give J’onn a quick, firm hug, tight enough that he grunted in pain but then she darted back bouncing on her heels.

“I’ve thought about it,” she said earnestly, usually bubbly eyes serious. “I’ve planned a way out if it gets bad, just fake an emergency and leave. They’ll get a couple of pictures,” she said and waved her hands about to explain, “and then if they’re pressing to hard I can just shut them down and leave. I’m Supergirl,” she said and pointed to herself. “No one would question me.”

“I would,” Alex muttered and Kara shot her a dirty look.

“Do you want to do this?” J’onn asked Kara seriously and she nodded earnestly.

“I saw Scarlet Johansson sell her premier tickets for like forty k! Imagine how much money I can get for a Charity!”

“Um,” Winn hedged and instantly had their attention.

“What?” Alex demanded and strode towards the computer.

“Lena Luthor’s just Tweeted something….. here,” he tapped a few buttons and one of the large monitors on the wall suddenly showed the familiar social media platform colour scheme.

              @LenaLuthor _: Excited to see Supergirl at the National City Charity Foundation’s Annual       Celebrity Auction! Fine work by @TheCatGrant to get her to come! It’s going to be a great        night! @NCCharity @SuperZor-El_

Kara blinked at the tweet and her eyes narrowed as she read it again. “Um…..” she blinked and looked at the head of the DEO beseechingly. Already there were many re-tweets and favourites and responses.

J’onn’s inhale was lengthy and his chest expanded and then he sighed. “Alright.”

“J’onn!” Alex protested aghast.

The Martian shook his head. “Your sister wants to do this, and if the organisation is framing this as a-a- a donation of time for the privilege of um, having some company….” He trailed off and shook his head and tried again. “If the organisation has spun this as the celebrities being happy to spend some time with such generous donators instead of-“

“Pimping out National Cities elite?” Alex asked innocently and Kara glared at her.

J’onn glanced heavenward in a ‘why-me’ gesture and huffed. “Kara wants to do this,” he said firmly. “We can’t stop her,” he told Alex and then looked back at the beaming Supergirl. “But we will help you if necessary. It’s our job,” he said frankly, smiling softly at Kara and sharing a look with Alex,

Kara tossed herself at them both and brought them together in a hug.

Alex grunted and then Kara realised her and stepped back.

“Awesome! Now I just have to pick a Charity!”

“And a dress,” Alex muttered and Kara’s rambling came to a halt.

A crinkle appeared between her brows. “No…. no dress,” she said after a moments consideration. “I’m there to work…. Not to party.” She had to admit she had considered the idea of a ball as a chance to dress up and look pretty, but Supergirl was a symbol, it would probably be best for her not to dress up. She’d wear her suit like always, and on her date as well. But it was a shame, she considered. She hadn’t dressed up for a while.

Disagreement settled, with grumbling on Alex’s behalf, Kara sat on one of the wheelie chairs next to Winn and dug out her phone. She had a text from Lena and smiled as she clicked into it. Their conversation thread was mostly emoji’s from Kara, and precise, punctuated English from Lena, with like zero emoji’s. Kara had made it one of her missions in life to get Lena into the use of them, arguing they conveyed emotion perfectly. Lena was of the opinion that a phone call could clear everything up and leave no room for misinterpretation, but Kara disagreed. Emoji’s were the language of the future, and Lena was very behind with their usage, or lack of. It was one of the many silly little disagreements they teased each other over.

Lena was determined to not use them, and Kara was trying so very hard to get her to do so.

‘ _Hey. How are you feeling_?’

Kara frowned slightly at the text and tilted her head, unaware of just how puppy-like the movement was, and responded.

‘ _I’m good!_ ’ followed by multiple smiling and happy yellow faces. ‘ _Why_?’ And there was a confused expression for that as well.

It took Lena a moment to respond.

‘ _Because you walked into a wall, Kara_.’

She gave a little giggle. Experience had taught her how Lena would be rolling her eyes and shaking her head with fond exasperation and she could picture the CEO smiling at her phone and sighing at her.

‘ _All good over here!!!!!!!!!!_ (followed by the thumbs up and many other happy emoji’s) _think it was the shock of it!’_

She could picture Lena dropping her pen to check her text and shaking her head as she tapped out a response.

‘ _You are Super clumsy. You should come with your own warning label_.’

Kara snorted and then quickly smoothened her features as Winn glanced at her out the corner of his eye.

‘ _Am not._ (Tongue face emoji)’

‘ _Yes you are, Kara. But I love you anyway_.’

A warm, floaty feeling settled in her chest and she grinned at her screen as another text came through immediately after.

‘ _Are we still on for dinner? I hope to be out by seven_.’

“Who’re you texting?” Alex enquired as she came up into the control centre and leant against the desk with her arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

“Lena,” Kara responded and tapped out an affirmative, with a lot of excited emoji’s.

“Mh hm. ‘Course you are,” Alex hummed and the intonation of it was odd and she tore her eyes from her phone to finally look at her sister. Alex had an innocent expression on her features but her eyes were…knowing….

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She frowned at Alex and could feel how her brows had bunched together.

Alex just shook her head. “Nothing,” she said softly, small smile on her lips. “So Lena’s going to the Gala? Do you know if she’s going to be one of the celebrity dates?”

Kara blinked and tilted her head again. She didn’t know if she liked the idea of Lena going on dates with strangers for money. Not that she was doing it for the money, it was for charity, but Lena deserved better than that.

“Dunno, maybe?” Kara considered it, raked her brain to see if Lena had ever mentioned it before. “I don’t think she ever has. She would have said.”

Alex gave a little nod. “Well, maybe you can go shopping? I’m sure she’d like someone to go with. Maybe you should suggest it?”

Kara straightened. That was a good idea. She could go shopping with Lena. She liked spending time with Lena. Plus, she could see her friend in all those pretty clothes. Smiling she gave a little nod and made a mental note to bring it up later as her phone vibrated with a reply from Lena.

‘ _You use far too many emoji’s for a reporter. I’ll see you later. I’ll grab your usual on the way over. Xox’_

Grinning Kara responded.

‘ _Emojis are the language of the future Lena!_ ’ she exclaimed with plenty of emoji’s to prove her point. ‘ _See you later_!’

“Supergirl,” Vasquez said from her chair. “Crash on 37- want to….and she’s gone.” The agent shook her head and went back to her screen, tapping her headset to speak with Kara.

“Should we tell her?” Winn asked casually, eyes on his monitor as Alex pushed off the desk and walked over to stand near Vasquez.

“And miss out on teasing her?” Alex shook her head as she took a headset and waited for Susan to connect her to Kara. “No way. I have a bet going with Maggie.”

Winn chuckled and went back to his work. “I placed fifty in the DEO pool,” he offered. “Kara doesn’t realise until Lena kisses her.”

Alex smirked and nodded, keeping her mouthpiece away from her lips. “Oh I know,” she said with a grin and Winn looked over at her. “But Maggie gave it two months so if Lena hasn’t womaned up by then I’m gonna go have a chat with her.”

Winn gulped and turned back to his screen. “Well that’s not terrifying,” he muttered and Alex heard him and chuckled darkly.

“She wont know what hit her,” she promised. “Only the best for my little sis!”


	3. Chapter 3

 

Kara was almost vibrating with excitement as the sleek, black car glided to the curb and a familiar face opened the door for her.

“Lena! Hi!” She beamed and bounced over to the car and let herself in as Lena slid across the back seat to give her space.

“Good morning Kara,” Lena smiled and tucked some hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry I’m late,” she apologised but Kara had already zeroed in on the brown paper bag with a familiar logo on it.

“Noonans?!”

“I brought you-“

Kara dove for the bag and sat up swiftly as Lena leant forward to take a sip of her coffee. Kara moaned as she bit into the sticky bun and Lena hid her smirk behind her cup.

“Yes. Traffic was terrible. There was a crash on forty-second…. Supergirl was there this morning.”

Kara paused a moment in her chewing and cast Lena a glance from the corner of her eye and swallowed.

“We had to detour,” Lena explained as she returned her cup to the holder. “And as we were going past I thought I’d bring you an apology,” she ducked her head towards the rapidly dwindling supply of treats she had bought for Kara.

“Fanks Lera!” Kara mumbled around a bun and was rewarded with Lena’s sweet laugh.

“Don’t eat too much,” she cautioned warily, tone fond as their car pulled back into the line of vehicles. “You won’t be able to fit your dress… or suit,” Lena mused and she went quiet for a moment before fixing Kara with her ‘special smile.’ It was a soft smile, a knowing one. Somehow _more_ than her usual happy to see you smile (and no where near her CEO smile), inclusive yet secretive at the same time. Kara loved each of Lena’s smiles; but she loved that one most of all.

Kara chewed quickly and then wiped her hands on the serviettes.

“Is that for me?” She asked eyeing the second steaming cup in the holder and Lena regally inclined her head.

“Thanks!” She beamed and reached for the cup. “So where are we starting today?”

Lena was quiet a moment, eyes soft and contemplative as she looked Kara over.

“I have a few appointments at some this morning-“

“Appointments?” Kara mouthed but let her continue.

“-And then I thought we’d go to lunch and then keep looking if we haven’t found the right outfit?“

Kara nodded eagerly and pressed her glasses up her nose.

“Don’t tell me,” Lena commented wryly. “You’re already looking forward to lunch?”

Kara just beamed back at her and Lena shook her head with a soft smile.

“I plan on having you work up an appetite first,” she warned her with a smile and Kara felt her face heat and reached for her drink for want to do with her hands.

“That’s, er, that’s okay… I’m normally hungry in a few hours anyway…”

“I know,” Lena chuckled and rested her hand lightly on Kara’s arm. She could feel her heat through her sleeve and stared at it a moment and Lena quickly withdrew her hand, a red dusting to her cheeks. Her heart stammered but then smoothened into its usual reassuring beat and she lowered her sun glasses.

“Shall we?”

Kara nodded eagerly and grabbed her drink and Lena’s empty cup and followed her friend out into the sunshine.

They had pulled up in one of National City’s more finer shopping districts. The type of people as well as the clothing and items for sale indicated wealth and a general life of luxury. She felt sort of out of place especially when the hostess offered them champagne and little pastries while Lena browsed. The dresses didn’t even have price tags on them and Kara got the feeling that if she even asked she’d have the platinum blonde at the counter with the five inch heels, short skirt, low-cut blouse, and manicured nails would look down her unnaturally pointy nose at her. But Lena’s presence was a comfort. The salespeople in every store clearly recognised her, or at least recognised the way she carried herself; with confidence, grace, and the air of someone who got what they wanted.

It was when Lena came out in the first dress that Kars realised she was in some serious trouble. Trouble with a capital T. The one off the rack she had been pointed to in her size was a deep purple with lace patterns on the top and a smooth, silky looking fabric underneath it. It was floor length, with a soft of belt cinching around her waist in the same fabric was under the lace layer. She looked…lovely in it, especially when she piled her hair on top of her head messily and turned her torso to admire herself in the mirror. The move exposed an expanse of alabaster skin that Kara absolutely did not chance glances at every few seconds, and-

“Tattoo,” Kara pointed out dumbly, eyes caught on the dainty looking ink.

“Mh?” Lena asked, eyes still appraising on her reflection. “Oh, yes,” she said absently as she turned in the mirror and flattened out non-existent creases in her dress while side-eyeing her profile. She gave a little shake of her head. “I got it as a teenager. My birth name.”

Kara blinked and ran her eyes over the ink as Lena walked away and caught the smooth movement of Lena’s muscles as she opened the door to the changing room and stepped inside.

One of the salesmen coughed politely and when she finally pulled her eyes from Lena’s back he gave her a knowing waggle of his eyebrows and a mischievous smile.

She glared at him warningly but he just smiled winningly, exposing perfect teeth in contrast to his dark skin, and winked at her.

“Miss Luthor,” he called and his voice was sweet and oddly musical, “perhaps a different shade? A blue would go marvellous with your skin-tone.”

Lena’s affirmative was muffled and then Kara ~~was~~ ~~forced to endure~~ spent the next few hours wondering why her cardigan and jean outfit was overtly hot, and very, very thankful human alcohol didn’t affect her, especially with how much she was accepting in order to wet her parched throat. Lena had been amused by the entire thing, amused when she wasn’t asking if Kara were alright and casting concerned, dark green eyes in her direction every few minutes. What was worse, though, was when she dropped all pretences of being concerned and fixed Kara with a stare through the mirror, locking her into place, and ~~purring~~ asking, if Kara thought if she suited this dress.

Kara would swallow, tip the glass back, and then stammer out a response before the moisture left her mouth, all the while concerned that what she was saying wasn’t an appropriate thing for a friend to say. Friends didn’t go around with their jaw falling open and eyes popping and stammering out that their best friend looked beautiful and that she looked amazing in everything and that she might be the most beautiful women she’d ever seen and it really brought out her beautiful eyes. Not that other dresses and other clothing didn’t bring out her eyes because they were amazing, but this one made the gold highlights in her eyes shine, or that one definitely showed the steel in them.

They also didn’t spend a good five minutes talking about how their friends eyes changed in the different lights and moods she was in, and they certainly didn’t mention the red dress made her look dangerous and sexy. ‘Dangerous and sexy, Lena! What’s not to love!’ And then she had turned red and found her converse very, very interesting. She, and Lena thankfully, pretended not to notice the wide-eyed gaze of the young girl that was currently helping Lena down from the stand looking very, very sublime in said red dress. The assistant had a bit of a flush to her cheeks and was glancing between the two with wide eyes but didn’t say anything and for that Kara was thankful. She knew she’d let her mouth run away with her, she didn’t need Lena or the helper rubbing that in. And so that was how her morning edged into day; following Lena into various stores and wondering when she got so dehydrated and how hot National City was as Lena paraded outfit after outfit. And in typical Kara fashion she ran her mouth complementing Lena in all her glory.

It wasn’t until the last dress that Kara realised she had been sitting in hot water as the heat gradually increased without her noticing. Kara had been outside speaking with Alex, who had rung her about their dinner that night, while Lena had gotten into the next dress. When she had returned Lena was still changing so Kara had accepted a glass of champagne, or maybe it was fancy grape juice, honestly they were all starting to taste the same to her taste buds.

It took her a few moments but when Lena finally emerged from the changing room Kara felt like she had been hit J’onn, or Mon el, or even Kal. Right in the chest. The air left her lungs in a rush, as swiftly as she did defying gravity. And Kara froze. And she most certainly did not choke on the probably hundred dollar glass of champagne when her eyes finally focused on wide expanse of skin going down her torso which boarded on indecent.

It was, in theory, a beautiful dress. It was a midnight black, but it had some sort of blue streak in it that shimmered whenever Lena moved, like she had been shrouded in star-dust. The bottom of it brushed the floor and fell around the contours of her body with a gentle touch, guiding but not restricting. What had caught Kara’s attention though, was the slope of Lena’s breasts, cupped gently in the curve of the dress as it plunged daringly down her front to where a little bit of silver was peaking above the seam of the dress.

“Are you all right, Kara?” Lena asked immediately as Kara hacked and spluttered and she was certain she was as red as her cape as she waved Lena off, letting her know she was alright. The three saleswomen looked at her as though she were something undesirable but she ignored them because Lena was looking at her in concern.

The CEO seemed unconvinced, and her heart fluttered, but then settled and Lena smiled fondly over at her, and there was a new reason for the pressure in her chest.

Their eyes caught and held for a long moment and in those few seconds Kara swore she could see the birth of stars in Lena’s eyes; see the fire and taste the heat as they collided and danced together before blending together. A spark captured for centuries. Building and growing and forming something new and unknown and wonderful. Something bright. Something warm. The source of life. Light.

Lena’s heart summersaulted and Kara could hear its pulse in the very air around her, _feel_ it pounding away in her own veins, growing with her, changing her, until its sound settled within the chambers of her own heart and pounded out the rhythm. Their heartrates bet together, Kara could hear it in the air around them. Lena’s eyes, such a palate of colours and emotions, caught and held her own as though she were the sun and Kara were caught in her orbit, fated to circle her constantly, to look to her for guidance and life like the humans did. She smiled with her eyes and was it a new weakness Kara was succumbing to? Paralysis by the Luthor’s eyes alone? It felt like it, but it also felt like she were falling, no, flying into her eyes and the promises held there.

Lena blinked after what seemed like eternity but never enough, and turned to appraise herself in the mirror, heart-rate beating out like a great war-drum, or maybe the drums in celebration, the ones announcing the return home of the lost.

Lena took a moment to admire herself in her mirror, and Rao was certainly testing her patience! The fabric shimmered in the light and at some points the fabric over Lena’s breasts shifted, just a little, before sliding against her skin again, and Kara’s mouth went dry and her heart pounded. And then as Lena stepped down from the mini podium she was on, surrounded by mirrors, she shot Kara a glance over her shoulder. Her head was tilted back, her smile half, and her eyes sparking mischievously and Kara felt that smile hit her in the chest and expand in fluttering waves of warmth throughout her body and fought the urge to lift off the ground. Yup. She was well and truly screwed.


	4. Chapter 4

Lena readily accepted a water bottle from one of her employees and greedily tilted it back above her lips. The liquid rushed down her throat, cooling her from within, and she sighed as she finally lowered the bottle and looked around her. For the past four hours she and some of her employees had been at the NC RDA for their annual volunteer-day. They’d mucked stalls, under the watchful eye of a sharped eyed honey-blonde, cleaned tack-which Lena didn’t think she’d get the varnish out of her palm lines, fed and watered the horses; groomed them- which Lena hadn’t minded as much, she had always enjoyed the quiet thanks the horse gave during, carried hay and feed, and had done general maintenance on the stalls, tracks, and arena.

Now they had almost collapsed exhausted in a pile under a tree along with the other RDA volunteers. Lena kicked her legs out and rested her head back against the railing with her eyes closed. It had been labour intensive, and her body was thrumming with warmth letting her know of its exertion, but it was satisfying. There is something innately pure about giving, and especially giving your time, which was the CEO of a fortune five-hundred company was inherently more valuable than a dollar value donation… and she enjoyed it.

She was lifting her water bottle to take another sip with the quietly talking volunteers went quiet and the air became charged.

“You’re a little late to the party, Supergirl,” Lena commented without opening her eyes and heard a soft chuckle.

“I’ve been busy checking out the other volunteer groups,” the hero commented and Lena finally pried her eyes open, squinting in the sun to look at the Super.

Supergirl was smiling softly at her, a warmth in her eyes, and her gaze was…proud?

Lena hoped her heart had finally gotten over seeing the Super in her all glory but evidently not as her heart summersaulted with joy before settling. Kara’s lips twitched and Lena lifted a brow and her features smoothened again.

“Well,” Lena said with a sigh as she slowly got to her feet, body protesting after having been idle for such a long time after a busy morning. “We’re heading to the beach next,” she stretched, delighting in the pull of her muscles and then shook them out. “You’re welcome to join us.”

Kara smiled. “I’d like that. Need a lift?”

Lena paused and looked back at the hero, who was flushing and Lena forced down the excited twirl her heart made. It wouldn’t do for Kara to know just how she affected Lena before she made her move- and yes, she certainly knew who her best friend was. Glasses and pastel cardigans didn’t do much to hide Kara’s spirt and fire, things Lena had fallen in love with.

“Going to carry me like a damsel?” She enquired teasingly, ignoring how her mind conjured an image of herself being held in the hero’s strong embrace.

Kara flushed even further but responded gallantly. “I don’t think you’ve ever been a damsel, Miss Luthor.”

Lena let herself smile, pleased at the response and knowing that it were true; even if the Super had saved her numerous times and she had done the same for Kara.

“I’m afraid I’ve already arranged transportation,” Lena declined the offer and ignored the way Kara’s face fell slightly. Truthfully she was a little concerned about her body odour after a long morning of labour in the sunshine, and didn’t want that to be a factor between her and Kara. Supergirl gave a little nod.

“We’re starting at the beach about one, if you aren’t busy,” Lena said and started to walk back up to the car park. Kara fell into step with her and she waved at a few staring people and then turned her attention back to Lena.

“I’ll clear my schedule,” she smiled and Lena had to fight the eye roll. It was a Friday. Kara Danvers was probably researching her latest fluff piece, so the only reason Supergirl wouldn’t be able to make it was if something happened.

Still. She nodded regally to Kara as she fished her keys from her pocket and the lights on her car blinked in response. It was her baby; a silver 2017 Toyota Supra which she had gotten early because one of her father’s business associates was a high-up in the company and she still kept in contact with him.

Kara whistled in appreciation and Lena smiled at her as she opened the door. “I like to go fast,” she said with a slight shrug and grinned at the Super. “Don’t you?” She asked innocently and then chuckled as Kara nodded eagerly.

“I’ll see you at the beach, Supergirl. Are you gonna be in a swim-suit?”

Kara blinked as Lena ducked into the sleek leather interior and slid her second foot in after her.

“Catch you later, Supergirl,” Lena smirked and shut the door gently. She could see Supergirl’s features through the tinted windows and chuckled softly as she set her phone to charge and turned the car on. It rumbled into life and she clicked her seat-belt in, catching the flashing light telling her she hadn’t belted herself in, and checked her rear-view mirror.

She glanced out the window at Kara as Supergirl gave a little wave and soared into the sky and she turned her mind to the afternoons task as the Bee Gee’s Tragedy blasted from her speakers. She wanted to head home and have a shower and get out of her long pants and shirt. Then she would go to the beach and would wear maybe some shorts and a t-shirt, and take a jacket for when it got cold.

Jess was planning on arriving later at the beach with some supplies; fizzy, soda, juice, water, some low alcohol beer and cider, and of course the burger buns, onions, sausages, tomato sauce, lettuce, tomato, and bread for the employees afterwards. It had been in the memo for the employees; anyone who wanted to come to the beach in the afternoon would be treated to a sausage sizzle, a suggestion from one of their younger scientists who was an eager import from Australia. The idea was foreign to Lena, and indeed to most of her fellow staff, but his enthusiasm had spread throughout the division and then into the building and Lena had agreed to it. They usually hired out a restaurant, but this was cheaper and more involved for her employees. Plus it was a new experience.

Within an hour she was driving down to the beach and finding a park. As she grabbed her bottle of water, hat, and sunglasses she made a mental note to have her car cleaned immediately- the salt and sand wouldn’t do it any good.

It beeped her fare-well as she wandered down to the beach where the beach-clean-up volunteers already had quite the pile of rubbish and nodded greetings to the people she recognised.

The heat of the sun reflected off the sand and she shivered as her body adjusted to the heat and was thankful she had chosen simple foot-ware. She knew she’d likely be taking them off later anyway.

It took her a few steps to get used to the strain of walking on such a resistant surface but she was accustomed to it by the time she had reached the L-Corp hub. There was a gazebo with the L-Corp Logo on it and Jess was in the centre directing other employees to build the other gazebo’s.

There were already two tables set up under the first gazebo. One fill to the brim with water bottles, and the other had boxes of rubbish bags, an assortment of large continuers of sunscreen, and a lot of boxes of gloves.

Lena set her glasses down her collar and walked to her capable assistant and nodded to her in greeting.

“Jess.”

“Miss Luthor,” Jess smiled and glanced up from her tablet before closing it and sliding it into her messenger bag. “I understand Supergirl is coming by later?”

Lena took a moment to watch as her employees examined various poles and tried to connect them into a metal frame. For scientists they could be rather oblivious and it was hard to believe that the man frowning at two ends of metal pipes was actually one of the youngest graduates from National City University, or that the woman trying to hold some of the frame up by herself won a full scholarship to every single Ivy League College in the country.

“If she has time,” Lena replied and brushed some hair out of her face. “Is the food going to be ready at five?”

Jess nodded and smiled. “The barbeques are on their way and I’ll go and get the food at about,” she checked her watch, “half four.”

Lena nodded. “Be sure to take someone with you,” she suggested and walked over to the table to grab some gloves and made sure to apply sunscreen liberally. Her skin tone didn’t suit warm weather.

Set with a bag, and gloves she placed her glasses on her nose and adjusted her hat, snatched a water bottle, and made her way down the beach. She stopped to pick up pieces of rubbish and her body was soon warm and humming under the sun and her body was lost in the rhythm of bending over, or crouching (depending on how buried in sand the rubbish was).

Her mind retreated into itself as it often did when she did mild exercise that didn’t require much brain power, and she opened her mental file on one of her latest projects and started to work it again- the technology wasn’t working with her for what she had in mind, so she was going to have to design it herself and that was exciting. She loved designing things; solving problems with her intellect and with science, and it was what made her fall in love with science and engineering in the first place.

A buzz at her pocket drew her attention before her ring-tone began and she straightened, feeling her lower back strain with the movement, and pulled her glove off.

Jess was calling her and she frowned slightly behind her glasses as she brought the device to her ear.

“Jess?”

“Miss Luthor,” her assistants voice was apologetic and Lena turned and started to walk back up the beach, squinting at the distance she had walked. It was quite the distance. “I rang the supermarket to make sure they had my order and, well, they don’t. Their staff lost it or something.”

Lena paused and let Jesses voice wash over her and bit back her sigh. “Alright. I’ll be there soon.”

It took her much longer than she had thought, to walk the distance, and she made her way down to the more damp sand to get better traction for her steps. Increasing her pace and effort on the soft, malleable sand wasn’t getting her much for her exertion.

Eventually she came within sight of Jess, who was glaring out over the water and with her phone to her ear.

Lena dumped her rubbish bag on the pile, which was already quite high and made her saddened for all the beaches around the world and for the innocent sea-life that would suffer because of humanities indifference, and walked quickly to her assistant. She tipped her water bottle back and drunk the last of her water as she went, tossing it into a bin as she walked by the gazebo.

There were already four huge gleaming barbeques set up on the sand with large gas canisters connected to them.

Jess turned and saw her coming and frowned and lifted her free hand in annoyance and then rolled her eyes and Lena didn’t hide her amusement. It was very rare that Jess was ever thrown off balance, and, though it made her seem mean, she often like to throw little impossibilities before her assistant and see if she could manage it. Jess always passed, often with a smug smile at her little requests, and Lena had the upmost respect for her.

“Argh,” she growled when she hung up and turned to Lena with a crease between her brows. “They can’t do the entire order, and neither can any of the other branches in the city. We would have to split up the order and get everything from various outlets to get enough.”

Lena thought for a moment. “All right. I can go and get everything. Can you ring and order ahead?”

Jess was already nodding. “But, you’ll never get through the traffic in time.”

Lena paused, glanced at her watch, and bit back a curse. Of course it was already quarter two five and by the time she got anywhere she’d be hitting the five-o’clock traffic, and on a Friday no less.

There was a whisper of the wind and then a soft thump and she turned to see Supergirl standing a few meters away from them and waving awkwardly in hello.

She looked beautiful against the ocean back-drop, the blue waves making the blue of her eyes stand out as though it were trying to be as bright as the sea behind her. Kara was smiling even as her hand closed awkwardly and she forced them to her side in her classic ‘hero’ pose. Lena cast her a contemplative look.

The smile on the Super’s face turned awkward and unsure. “What?”

“Ah Supergirl,” Lena purred, letting a smile onto her lips as she had an idea. “Just the woman I… _need_ ” She ran her tongue across her teeth and played with a stand of hair.

A choked sound emerged from Kara’s parted lips and her expression greatly resembled a fish, wide blinking eyes, parted lips, and slack expression. Jess bit her own to keep from laughing at the sudden change to the hero’s confidence. Lena didn’t often turn her full sensuality on anyone, especially not in public, but Kara may as well be aware of it for she would be on the receiving end soon enough.

“Ah, um,” Supergirl choked and Lena tilted her head and curled the strand around her fingers as Kara spluttered and floundered. “I, um,” she said weakly. “Need?” She squeaked and cleared her throat unsuccessfully and Lena was fairly certain Jess would draw blood with how she was trying not to laugh.

“Yes…..” Lena drawled and cast a warning glance at her shaking assistant. “ _Need_.”

Kara, fortunately, didn’t appear to have noticed. She cleared her throat. “What can I help you with, Miss Luthor?” She asked weakly and Lena took a few steps closer to the nervous hero.

Kara swallowed but remained where she was, blue eyes wary but unable to tear their gaze off her.

“Lena, please,” she corrected as she stepped even closer to Kara and she could hear her swallow over the beating of her own heart and hid her smirk.

“L-Lena,” Kara stuttered as she got right into her personal space. “W-what can I d-do you f-or?”

Lena blinked at the pleasing word mix up and grinned up at the hero. “Well,” she said as she brushed some sand off of Kara’s shoulder. “I was going to ask you if you could go and fetch some groceries for me…” she trailed off as Kara’s breathing increased and she took a step back and dropped all pretences, deciding to give Kara a break.

“If you don’t mind?” She asked and smiled pleasantly as Kara almost sagged in relief once she stepped out of her personal space. “I’m afraid everyone would _starve_ by the time I got all of the food, traffic and all,” she said and knew that if there was anything that could convince the blonde it was food.

“O-of course, Miss L-ena,” Kara stuttered and blinked and Lena beamed at her.

“Excellent!” She turned and saw Jess was pointedly on her phone and not watching the floundering hero but as Jess glanced up Lena winked at her and nearly set Jess off on a round of giggles.

Her assistant quickly pulled a pen and note-pad from her bag and Lena matched her step as they walked towards the gazebo, a dazed Kara following behind.

“I’ll ring and get them to get whatever stock they have for us, and then Supergirl can go and get it- if you don’t mind?” She enquired over her shoulder and the hero stumbled up behind them and shook her head.

Soon she had rung a half dozen stores and placed her orders in, checking the supplies off on her note-pad, and even adding some oils, tomato sauces, and even remembering to get vegan and vegetarian options, and some cutlery to prepare the food, and paper plates and serviettes to eat it with.

Not fifteen minutes later and Jess turned beaming back to Lena, who had been sipping a water bottle and leaning against the table while her assistant worked her magic. “Okay! So I’ve got everything,” she said confidently. She turned to Supergirl and began to list the stores she needed to go to, and told her she had told the store representative to put the goods in solid boxes so they were alright for her to carry.

And then Jess, her marvellous, marvellous assistant who would no doubt be getting an _excellent_ Christmas bonus, made Lena’s day. “Oh! But you’ll have to sign for it!” She said and looked apologetically at Supergirl. But Lena knew her assistant, had chosen her well, and knew the slight curve to her lips meant she was amused, the twinkle in her eye betraying her intention. “You’ll have to take Miss Luthor with you!”

Supergirl choked on her on spit and Lena thanked her years of Luthor training that kept her from laughing like the gleeful villain the world thought she was. Kara wouldn’t back out of helping them now, and the only way to get Lena to and from the stores in time was by flying her. And that would mean she would have to hold Lena, be pressed against Lena. Lena bit the inside of her mouth to stop herself grinning like a fool. Yes, Jess would definitely be getting that bonus.


	5. Chapter 5

National City’s Annual Charity Ball and Auction was just getting into the swing of things when Cat Grant emerged from her limousine. She looked radiant in flowing light blue drees with a grey band about her waist and simple jewellery at her wrists and ears. She took a moment to appraise the reporters and cameras that immediately flashed in her direction and then set off for the carpet, people parting before her like water around a rock. She ignored comments and whispers about how she was here earlier than usual; usually Cat Grant found every excuse to avoid spending a long time at public events, but here she was. Right on time, early even. It was suspicious, but Cat did like to keep people on their toes.

She was followed by a familiar figure, her former assistant and now junior reporter at CatCo, Kara Danvers, who ducked behind her boss and stayed within her orbit with the ease and grace of someone who had done so for years. Kara was wearing a simple black dress, shorter at her knees and then billowing out behind her down to her ankles. It had diamantes along the breast and matched her earrings and simple, elegant bracelets.

Kara blinked under the lights but pushed her glasses up her nose and followed her boss, but made sure to stay out of the camera-shot when Cat took a moment to pose; chin tilted, slight smirk to her lips. She didn’t stay very long, like normal, and didn’t answer any questions as she swept her way inside, Kara sticking to her like glue.

“Keira,” she intoned when Kara got close to her and her assistant reared back, clearly not having expected her to halt so quickly. “Do be a dear and go and find me something to drink that doesn’t taste like it came from a chemical lab.”

Kara nodded. She’d agreed to be revise her role as Cat’s assistant tonight so that she could come to the Ball. Cat was certain she was almost ready to admit to herself that it was so she could see Lena but had told Kara that her other assistant wasn’t up to it. Ever eager to please, and maybe see her ‘friend’ Kara had agreed.

“And do get yourself something other than juice. You’re a grown woman,” Cat grumbled as Kara departed. “Start acting like it,” she sighed almost to herself, but knew that Kara would hear her with her ‘Super’ hearing. She rolled her eyes internally at how her former assistant still thought that she had her fooled. Cat Grant knew exactly who Kara Danvers was, no double was going to fool her. She knew Kara, and she knew Supergirl, and she knew they were one in the same. Her former assistant turned reporter had the Steel of the Maid of Light, she just didn’t let everyone see it and they never looked any further than the person she presented to the world.

It was part of the reason she had been so interested to see how Lena Luthor acted around Kara. It took someone special to see past the hideous cardigans and jumpers Kara hunched into, or the thick lenses that hid her eyes from the world, or even the stammering, stumbling mannerisms that Cat was beginning to think belonged solely to _Kara_ , to see the woman herself. A very special person indeed saw the pain Kara hid, saw her hidden strength, saw her goodness didn’t come from nativity but from loss and hope, and saw just how big her heart was. So Cat had resolved to watch Lena Luthor. She was fully prepared to admit her caution around a woman with that las name, especially as Lena and Kara appeared to be very good friends. Cat wouldn’t be doing her job as mentor to Kara, and to Supergirl, if she didn’t make sure Lena was what she came across as; a good, kind young woman who wanted to change the world for the better.

She’d looked up all of her interviews, all of them, and had tracked down every single quote or mention on the internet, or rather she had had one of her IT people do it for her, and honestly it was what she was paying them for. Only they thought she thought that Lena may be a threat to Supergirl, but it was far from the truth. Lena seemed interested in sweet, kind, Kara Danvers. As a friend or maybe as more.

She had been willing to let that go, to let Kara be friends with Lena herself and navigate that potential heartbreak with Cat as a guide if anything negative came of it. It appeared Lena was a good person, not like her last name suggested, and had no idea that Kara was Supergirl. But then Cat had come across some poor quality images taken from cell-phones. Those coupled with the police statements of the many incidents involving the Luthor and Super, (and no she had not threatened her IT person to have them hack into the NCPD, she had just suggested that if they enjoyed being employed they should do what she wanted because ‘no one would employee someone The Cat Grant had blacklisted and unless they wanted to live with their parents for the rest of their lives they should get to it’), had convinced her that maybe, just maybe, there was something there.

It was painfully obvious from Kara’s end. The girl was hopelessly smitten. Every time Lena’s name was mentioned the girl would perk up and beam, and don’t get Cat started on _that_ particular conversation with Supergirl.

She’d talked to them both; separately of course, she wanted Kara, not some double, about Lena Luthor. If she hadn’t been sure of Kara and Supergirl being one and the same, she would have known for sure after that conversation.

Kara had been expected; confused, at first, as to why Cat was asking her about her new friend, then suspicious in case Cat was after a scoop, then actually _angry_ as she realised what angle Cat was playing. And oh so protective. She’d never seen Kara so protective over someone, indeed, it had been Supergirl standing in her office defending Lena Luthor to the ends of the Earth in a soft pink sweatshirt, button up, and black skirt. Then she had requested to speak with Supergirl. Supergirl had been wary and defensive and had immediately launched herself into the exact same speech Kara Danvers had given her. Word. For. Word. She didn’t appear to have realised in her passion to defend her friend, and it was then that Cat was certain her poor, hapless former assistant and the city’s protector was in love with Lena Luthor. And likely had no idea.

She’d laughed herself through an expensive bottle of whisky. (She was still fighting off the headache she swore. It was expensive whisky). And had then set to plotting. Kara deserved the world, more even, but the best that Cat could do was guide her, and maybe play Cupid. She just needed to know where Lena Luthor sat on the subject of Kara Danvers. It wasn’t difficult. Poor girl was hopelessly head over heels for the oblivious Kara, and was probably too strong to admit it to her (only) friend and potentially ruin their friendship, that much was obvious. She would endure loving and pining from afar, and maybe even watching her love someone else, if it meant she got to keep Kara in her life.

Cat had shaken her head at the absolute foolishness of the youngest Luthor; she was too concerned with giving everything to the world to try to make up for what her brother and now mother had taken, that she didn’t think she deserved anything. Cat would show her. Female CEO’S that weren’t complete heartless bitches were difficult to find, especially in a mans world, and they needed to stick together. Cat was going to appoint herself as Lena’s mentor. It would do good for her to have someone so powerful and experienced in her corner, for too long the young CEO had been battling alone. And, Cat admitted to herself, she was not beyond getting anything out of the arrangement. L-Corp was powerful, and gaining more power under Lena’s reign, and having the CEO be attached to both Supergirl, and Kara was beneficial to Cat and to Catco, they were tied to each other.

And so Cat had taken some subtle steps in gaining favour with Lena; articles carefully crafted to sway public opinion (reporting the truth and emphasising Lena’s own selfless actions). She had even carefully chosen another reporter (not Kara, she was a professional and wouldn’t send the girl off to interview the woman she would soon be dating if Cat had anything to do with it) to ask her some questions. Of course Lena had refused and said she would only speak to Kara Danvers.

Cat had thrown her mental hands in the air and had sent Kara back in for lunches with Lena; walks through the park with Lena; dinners at brand new restaurants; exclusives into L-Corp’s various charity organisations (hospitals, scholarships, kid science programs); dog parks (Cat was pretty sure Kara was just about ready to marry Lena for taking her there and telling her of L-Corp’s latest technology. An app that let you track your pet through GPS to their exact location so they would never be lost). And honestly, how someone else hadn’t figured out just how smitten the CEO was with the reporter she didn’t know. Lena didn’t speak to the press. Ever. But here she was basically letting Kara in to whatever part of her life she wanted. It was a goldmine, and if it were anyone else but Kara, Cat would be of half mind to make her reporter get all the information she could. Still. CatCo got many exclusives into the CEO’s life, and even into her Luthor past, though those were always carefully edited and Cat knew Kara didn’t like to share those insights with the public.

It was going very well for them both, actually. CatCo and L-Corp. Lena’s popularity was at an all-time high (definitely bolstered by photos of a flushing Supergirl carrying the woman around with a huge stack of boxes in her other arm. And another of her sitting with Lena on the beach after the L-Corp volunteer initiative), and so were her stocks and CatCo’s. Put Lena Luthor’s face on something, or even her name, and it sold. That was fact.

And so Cat had come to three conclusions;

One; Kara was a flustered, beaming, nervous, shy _wreck_ around Lena Luthor.

Two; the Daily Planet coined ‘Ice Princess’ (for her composure and unwavering neutral mask (especially during Lex’s trial)) CEO was a smitten _mess_ for Kara Danvers.

And three; that someone had to get the two oblivious idiots together before the temperature in National City rose because of the eye-sex (seriously, she wondered why the press was still calling them ‘friends’ but then realised; heteronormativity)and that person was her, Cat Grant, the Queen of All Media, and one of the most powerful women in the city. She had actually quite liked the idea of it, her being Cupid for the two other most powerful women in the city. It was poetic. Who better to take over her reign of the city (and then the world) than two women who by rights should stand on opposite sides of the battlefield and were instead side-by-side, stronger together? It was all very Romeo and Juliet, and she mentally promised herself the exclusive when her plan came to fruition.

So here she was at a charity gala with people she loathed waiting for Lena Luthor to arrive so she could snare her and her attention and then grill her for her intentions towards Kara, and hopefully plant the idea of saying something in her head. That was why she was early and prepared to make small talk with back-stabbing snakes. Kara had better invite her to the wedding when all this was over.

Speaking of….

Kara appeared back at her side and she couldn’t resist a jibe. “Did you brew the alcohol yourself?” She asked dryly as she took a glass and Kara frowned reproaching at her but didn’t say anything and Cat sipped her champagne warily. It was…passable…. So she gave a little nod and was rewarded with Kara’s beam. Ever eager to please, even when it wasn’t her job or duty to do so. She and Lena would go well together, both of them far to giving but very defensive of each other.

“Oh, look,” Cat pointed out a young blonde man in a smart looking suit surrounded by many beautiful women looking at him adoringly. “It’s that man from that sports team…”

Kara chanced him a glance and then went back to looking over Cat’s head. The woman hid a smirk in her glass.

“Isn’t he attractive?” She asked and watched Kara glance back at him without interest and then look back towards the door.

“I guess,” Kara said absently and she rolled her fingers together before pushing her glasses up her nose with one finger.

“Not your type?” Cat offed knowingly and Kara glanced at her a moment and blinked, a small furrow to her brow.

“Um,” she looked at him again and then shrugged as she looked back at Cat. “He seems nice enough….”

“What is your type then, Keira?” She enquired innocently, lifting a brow challengingly.

Kara pulled her gaze from the door and the crease to her brow deepened. “Um, well, um not blonde hair?” She offered and glanced back at the door.

“Am I boring you, Keira?” Cat asked archly, knowing her exactly who had Kara’s attention, even though she wasn’t here. Her eye-roll was internal. Oh, to be young and in love again.

Kara’s eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. “N-no, Cat! Of course not!”

“Because I can leave you to all the young men, and women,” she added slyly, “to fend for yourself. I can go and entertain myself.”

Kara shook her head quickly and then went still and turned immediately to the door, attention on it with predator like intensity. It reminded Cat of those hunting dogs that would go still, lift their paws, and have the energy of a hurricane contained within their vibrating bodies. Cat knew immediately that Lena had arrived, even if she hadn’t come in yet. She knew that Kara wouldn’t hear a word she would say, so she just sipped her mediocre champagne and alternated between watching the door, and watching Kara watch the door.

She knew the instant Lena Luthor stepped through the door, and gave Kara her full attention and catalogued each of the expressions that chased their way across her face.

Joy. Surprise. Shock. Adoration. Lust. And beneath it all, she was shining with Love.

And then Cat Grant turned and saw Lena Luthor in the doorway and decided that yes, Kara was justified in every expression she could not control.  Because Lena Luthor was wearing a tux.


	6. Chapter 6

She was dead. She, Kara, had died and gone into Rao’s eternal light. She didn’t remember dying, but she was pretty certain it had happened. Because she was dead. Oh Rao! Dead. Because Earth’s God’s had seen fit to grant her access to their eternal afterlife in paradise because she was dead. Because there was no other reason, apart from her being dead, than her currently seeing the vision and revelation that was Lena Luthor in a _Tux_. So clearly she was dead.

But how her mind conjured up this proof of divinity she did not know, only she was glad that it had because Rao!

A polite cough next to her tried to pull her attention from the door and the angel within its light, but she ignored it. One did not simply turn away from such radiance.

The cough came again as well as a touch on her arm. She ignored it. She was a zealot.

“Keira,” a voice came warningly from far away. “Did you suddenly decide to quit your job and become the human equivalent of a Venus Fly-Trap?”

Kara blinked. That was Cat. Was Cat in Rao’s Light as well?

Lena kept getting closer, talking to some people, and by passing others, her ever faithful Jess at her side. She liked that Jess was still with Lena. Lena deserved people who respected and liked her around her, even in Death.

“Keira! Close your mouth it’s uncouth!” Cat snapped, voice a low, venomous hiss, and that, more than anything, pulled her from her trance.

Kara blinked back into her body and quickly picked her jaw up and glanced around to make sure no one had seen her ogling Lena. She was fairly certain you could cook an egg on her face by how red it was.

“Well,” Cat commented into her glass and Kara barely chanced her a glance before gazing back at Lena. “She’ll certainly turn a few heads tonight,” and she was right. Already a murmur was moving through the gathered guests and multiple heads were turning, and not only in polite interest. More than a few eyes were appraising and Kara’s eyes narrowed as she made a mental note of them.

“Brunettes more your type, Keira?” Cat asked innocently and was casually sipping at her glass when Kara reeled around to face her, brow creased but eyes pulled back to Lena as though magnetised.

“What? I no, not that I, I mean, yes, but not, I, um…”

Cat patted her arm gently and gave her a sincere smile, bringing a halt to her rambling. “For what it’s worth, Kara,” her eyes widened at the use of her actually name. “I think she’d be good for you,” Cat finished, still smiling genuinely and then gave her arm a squeeze.

“Go and say hello,” she commanded and Kara nodded blankly. “Come and see me when the auction starts,” she added as she glided away, making eye contact with another member of National City’s elite and moving to speak to them.

Kara turned slowly back to Lena and took her in in her entirety. She was wearing very high black boots with a dark red on the bottom of them, giving her lower body a splash of colour against the black pants. Her tailored black jacket was open, unbuttoned, and followed the curve of her body gently and the lapels were a shiny black. Her dark red shirt, the same shade as her heels and lipstick, was tucked into her pants and peaked cheekily at her wrists.

She’d gone with gold for her jewellery, leaving her wrists bare as her cufflinks were gold, and had a few gold rings on her fingers. Gold sparkled at her ears and Kara lowered her eyes a moment to peer above the rim of her glasses and could see little ruby’s playfully catching the light within the earrings. There was a simple and delicate necklace hugging her neck line and her red nails were bright against the black of her clutch. Her hair was in a high pony-tail and her lipstick a dark red with the rest of her make-up subtle, enhancing her natural beauty.

Her lips parted into a smile when she caught sight of Kara and Kara wasn’t sure whose heart thumped at their gaze meeting. All Kara could hear was Lena’s, but her own heart had speed to match her friends.

Lena’s attention was pulled away and Kara frowned and started to walk through the crowd, not paying much mind to the people she was removing from her way. She had tunnel vision.

There was a handsome man in a smart three piece leaning in to speak with Lena and Kara instantly didn’t like him. Lena’s smiles were for her. Not him. Her.

“Lena!” She called, eager to have her friends smile on her again and Lena was already smiling as her head swung around to the source of the sound.

It may have been a little bit loud, but that was okay. Lena deserved all eyes on her. As long as she was looking at Kara.

“Kara!” Her heart gave a little thump as Lena said her name and she was certain her smile was creepily wide as she got closer to her friend.

“You look beautiful,” she commented and held her arms opened for a hug which Kara happily stepped in to, shooting a smug smile at the man who was vying for her attention.

She smelt good as well. Something sweet but not over- powering. Her fingertips blazed a warm trail down her arms as she pulled back to appraise her and Kara beamed back at her.

“I didn’t realise you’d be here tonight,” she commented and tilted her head in a move that was frankly adorable.

“I’m with Cat,” Kara said and then blinked. “Not that I’m with- with Cat because I’m not and I’m not with anybody and I don’t like Cat like that and I wouldn’t go there but not because she’s a woman or anything but because she’s like my mentor and I’m here to be her assistant today because her other one wasn’t suitable or something but I agreed just to help Cat out and-“

“Kara,” Lena interrupted and she clicked her jaw shut and scrunched her nose at the amusement Lena had laced within her name.

“I get it,” she said and lifted a hand to show Kara it was okay. “You aren’t with Cat.” Her lips curled into a knowing smile, and Kara’s insides flipped for some reason.

Swallowing she gave a little nod and then smiled back at her friend. Jess was trying not to laugh into her champagne glass but Kara ignored her. She didn’t miss the warning glance Lena shot her and felt warm as she realised Lena was reprimanding her assistant for laughing at her, Kara. Lena was trying to protect her and it was really sweet.

“So um, she adjusted her glasses. “Are you excited?”

Lena sighed and rolled her eyes a little. “To have National City’s wealthy bid on my like a prized broodmare?”

Kara blinked. That was one way to put it.

Lena gave a little shake of her head. “Not particularly,” she offered and then seemed to deflate just a little, though her posture remained rigid and her features neutral. “But it is for charity so I shall bear it with relative grace.”

Kara nodded eagerly. “What charity are you donating the money too?”

Lena met her eyes for a moment, scanned the room behind her, and then returned it back to Kara.

“You’ll see later,” she said teasingly, titling her nose up just a little but smiling at Kara and she could feel a pout forming.

“Aw, come on, Lena!”

Lena shook her head, earrings glinting in the light like little fire dragons. “Not a chance, Kara. You’ll have to be patient.”

Huffing, because it was so unfair and she wanted to know now, she turned away playfully.

Lena gave a little chuckle and put her hand on her arm, and she could feel the heat of it sinking into her skin and exciting her blood. It tingled beneath Lena’s skin and Kara was certain her pout turned upside down.

“Don’t pout,” she said and patted her softly. “Though I am surprised you haven’t raided the buffe-“

“-There’s a buffet?!” She interrupted perhaps far too loudly by the way the conversations around them dimmed and people looked at the three of them. Kara smiled sheepishly and gave a little wave and then spun around looking for the food. Lena just tilted her chin and met the stares head on, daring someone to comment. No one did.

“Isn’t that usually the first thing you go for?” Lena asked amused and tucked her arm through Kara’s and she instantly turned her attention back to the raven-haired beauty at her side.

“I was waiting for you,” she blurted in typical Kara fashion and waited heart-thumping, for Lena’s reaction. Her eyes widened in surprise before she blinked and then smiled at her, but she wasn’t smiling with her lips, she was smiling with her eyes. Kara had a brief panicked moment that someone near her had brought Kryptonite into the room because she couldn’t move, couldn’t tear her gaze from Lena’s.

“Well,” she said and moistened her lips. Kara’s mouth went dry. “Now I’m here, lets get you fed.”

She linked her arm and began to guide Kara though the room, and she let herself be lead willingly, was certain Lena could lead her anywhere and she’d eagerly follow. Especially if Lena was with her. Especially if there was food at the end of it.

They easily parted the people before them and soon Kara was staring over the buffet with ravenous eyes and wondering which little morsel she should start with. There were all sorts but it was all finger-food, nothing that would sate her appetite.

“I hear Supergirl is showing up tonight,” Lena said conversationally and when Kara glanced at her there was a knowing smirk on her lips. “I was off half mind to offer a bid myself,” she added with a sly smile and Kara nearly dropped her plate of food.

Her mind screeched to a halt. Lena was going to offer a bid on Supergirl? Lena wanted a date with Supergirl? Lena was interested in her?

She swallowed in quick succession to rid herself of the moisture in her mouth.

“You er, you wanna date, um, go on a date with Supergirl?” She asked weakly, heart hammering in her chest.

“Mh,” Lena hummed, pulling her arm free of Kara’s and reaching for a little pancake with what looked like salmon on it. “I had considered it, just to keep me entertained for the evening but now you’re here,” she said and took a slow, careful bite, keeping her eyes locked on Kara’s the entire time.

Kara nearly choked on the small spring roll she had just shoved into her mouth. She had to chew multiple times to clear it and then looked around for a champagne glass to drown the rest of it. All the while Lena kept looking at her with knowing amusement, lips curling daintily around each bite.

“I um, I’m happy to help,” Kara managed with a weak grin. “So you won’t bid on Supergirl?” She was oddly disappointed. It wasn’t like she actually wanted to go on a date with Lena, but it would be better than going on a date with someone she didn’t know who was probably only in it for the press of it. At least she got along with Lena, as both her personas.

“No,” Lena said and shook her head with a fond smile. “I have you to entertain me instead,” she said simply. “No need to torment to citizens of National City with what I have planned for their little _darling_ of a Girl Scout.”

Then she turned contemplative and Kara felt like she was floundering in her attempt to keep up.

“But between you and I, dear Kara,” she said as she leant forward and dropped her voice. Kara leant in as well, wondering what sort of confession was about to fall from Lena’s lips. “If I _had_ Supergirl for the _night_ ,” she bit her lip and Kara watched as the flash of white released it and swallowed. “I could think of some very, very,” her arm was on Kara’s now, slowly moving up her skin and setting Kara’s nerve endings alight with her touch, or maybe it was her words. “ _Very_ …fun… things for us to do,” she said gave a flirtatious wink and then pulled back and examined the buffet for her next snack. Kara was thankful because her knees nearly gave out on her and she had to grip the table to keep herself upright. She wondered when all the moisture had fled her mouth and why she was feeling warm all over. Her heart beat was pulsing somewhere in her stomach and she squirmed a little in discomfort.

“But,” Lena said as she turned back to Kara and someone walked up onto the stage and started to fiddle with the microphone. “That isn’t going to happen.” She smiled and squeezed Kara’s arm, appearing startled at the muscle definition she found there. She gave a little squeeze while Kara tried to recover from her temporary paralysis of before. “Mh,” she hummed, a low, rich sound that seemed to rumble up her chest. Kara squeaked.

“I have you instead,” Lena smiled innocently as she slowly pulled her hand down and let her fingers trail a soft, silky touch down Kara’s forearm. “You’ll keep me company, right?”

Kara could only nod.

Lena’s smile lit up the entire room.

“Excellent,” her eyes glinted and then she linked her arm with Kara’s and proceeded to guide her away from the buffet. “It’s about to start. Let’s grab our seats.” Kara nearly stumbled over her own feet as she did the only thing she could do; follow and trust in Lena to guide her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure of the difference between a suit and a Tux so eh. Picture Charlize Theron's suit/Tux outfit to the 2015 Cannes (I think it was). Also, in case anyone ever thinks about it. Do not, I repeat. DO NOT! Look up female suit on Tumblr. I didn't realise that was pornographic in the slightest but maybe I'm a prude. You learn something new every day, including things you can't un-see.


	7. Chapter 7

‘What is something you’ve done that no one would ever have expected from you?’ The man speaking was classically handsome with dark hair and bright eyes and a smile that belonged on television. He sat opposite a beautiful young woman with black hair and striking eyes. The recording was playing on a large monitor set next to a stage as the group of tables in the large hall watched the latest celebrity for auction.

‘I’m not that interesting of a person, Steve,’ she smiled charmingly and winked at the camera.

Steve shook his head. ‘Come now, Miss Luthor. You’re the CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation with multiple degrees under your belt and various languages. Surely there is something you could entice your potential date with?’

Miss Luthor gave a little chuckle and shook her head a little. ‘Lena, please. I’m more of a ‘relax at home with a glass of wine and a book girl’ than the ‘go out and have a wild night girl.’

She smiled and added, ‘I’m afraid I’d be a rather boring date.’

Steve chuckled along with her. ‘Well, we know that’s not the case! We managed to find something of your wild days!’

On screen Lena’s featured stitched before smoothening out and she leant forward with interest.

‘Something from your university days… a mechanical horse?’

Lena leant back with a laugh and shook her head. ‘Oh, no.’

The interviewer chuckled in the corner and then offered her a tablet and she hid her laugh with her hand as on screen the same video began to play.

It was a young Lena, popping up in the corner like videos did on news shows while the hosts talked about them, only this time the older Lena was explaining.

‘Okay, so… maybe. My university, well, the female populace organised a night raid, as we all came to call it.’

The younger Lena was standing before the camera as a group of girls swarmed around her with body paint and the transcript was being played along the bottom.

**Lena: If you wanted to get your hands on me you could’ve just asked.**

**Friend: You’re not that hot, Luthor.**

**Friend2: Keep dreamin’, Lena.**

‘There had been a lot of attacks on the female student body, and the campus wasn’t doing enough about it, so we, the girls on campus,’ Lena tapped the screen and looked back at Steve. ‘Decided to march in protest. Only it was Ireland so…..’ Lena ducked her head and her nose scrunched adorably and she rubbed the back of her neck. ‘We rode naked across Campus and… set fire to the common room. It was an accident!’ She paused and then looked straight at the camera and lifted her finger in warning. ‘Which, don’t do that. You’ll get into trouble.’

Steve was chuckling a little. ‘So your friends made you ride naked across campus on a mechanical horse.’

‘In a crown,’ Lena pointed out and gestured to the video with a fond smile. ‘And covered in body paint.’ The video ended with a naked Lena mounted on the mechanical horse wearing a crown, a cape and holding a giant ‘Girl Power’ flag covered in body paint.

‘I’d say it’s certainly an interesting discussion point for your date!’ Steve said pointing to the tablet as Lena handed it back to him.

‘Yes,’ Lena commented dryly. ‘Well, he or she has already seen me naked so….thank you for that.’

Steve gave a little chuckle and then moved on with the interview. He asked her a little about her charity for the evening, the association that would receive the amount for her winning bid. She had chosen Able National, one of National City’s charities for disabled children and their families and they provided all sorts of support as well as activities.

‘And describe your perfect date.’

Lena titled her head on screen and smiled mischievously. ‘How about the twenty-fifth of April? It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold,’ her smile widened as Steve blinked in utter confusion. ‘All you need is a light jacket.’

He blinked again and she rested her head on her head and watched him try to formulate a response. He gapped like a fish a moment and then smoothened his features.

‘O-kay…’ then his eyes narrowed. ‘I’m certain I’ve heard that before?’

‘Miss Congeniality,’ Lena replied with a smile. ‘One of my favourite movies.’

‘Ah yes!’ Steve was smiling now as he remembered what the quote was from. ‘But really, what is Lena Luthor’s perfect date?’

Lena’s eyes narrowed a moment and then she blinked and her smile was charming again. ‘I don’t date,’ she said simply. ‘I’m far too busy.’

‘Aw, come on!’ Steve smiled winningly at her, obviously probing for some sort of response. ‘You’ve gotta give me something! What’s your special night out?’

Lena inclined her head. ‘I…don’t really have a perfect date,’ she explained as she gave it some thought. ‘I think spending time with someone you care about, with the specific purpose of spending time together, is all that matters. How special it is doesn’t depend on money or where you go,’ she said and she was gazing off to the distance a movement, fond smile on her lips. ‘Its just…being together.’

Steve rolled his eyes good-naturedly. ‘You could have said something interesting,’ he bemoaned teasingly. ‘Like, skydiving before wrestling crocodiles and then roasting the meat over a fire, or-‘

‘You’ve clearly given it some thought,’ Lena interrupted with a smile and Steve paused to register what she said and shook his head with a laugh.

‘You know what I mean,’ he said. ‘But really, no hints for your date?’ He enquired slyly.

Lena met his gaze a moment. ‘Very well. I’d like someone to consider what I would enjoy and go from there. I am… helplessly romantic,’ she rolled her eyes at herself and let out a little huff. ‘Surprise me.’

Steve was nodding happily. ‘Okay! Your date can work with that! Helplessly romantic!’ He turned to face the camera and pointed a finger at it. ‘Take note gentlemen, and ladies,’ he added. ‘Helplessly romantic!’

Then he ended the interview, wishing her luck and to have a good evening. The screen moved from the interview to a generic photo of the CEO smiling, and the entire room applauded as she glided out onto the stage. Hers had been one of the more amusing pre-auction interviews, and a lot of people were no doubt having to re-evaluate their opinion on Lena Luthor.

Smiling charmingly she ducked her head politely and moved to stand next to their host for the evening, one of the local radio hosts, Kieran Bolts.

“Alright!’ He cheered and added his own clapping to the audience and shook her hand enthusiastically.

“Guess Miss Luthor here has a bit of a wild side!”

Someone in the crowd gave a little hoot and they chuckled appreciatively to his humour.

“Miss Luthor, do you have anything to add before we start the bidding?”

Lena met his gaze squarely and fought down her ire at being paraded like some show pony for auction, though it was exactly what she was.

“Please keep my chosen charity in mind, Able National. They do a lot of great work with disabled children, youth, and their families and I’d love for that to continue.”

“Alright!” Kieran said and turned back to the audience. “Let’s see if we can get a big winning bid for a lady with a big heart!” He cleared his throat and Lena smiled blankly, her CEO smile, as he started the auction, having already run through the rules multiples times this evening, and was now onto the few final celebrities. So far the most expensive date had gone to one of their minor movie stars, a pretty blonde girl whose charity was the National City SPCA. But the biggest bid war had been over one of their sports stars, the handsome man that had tried to speak with her earlier when she had arrived but had been distracted by Kara.

Supergirl still hadn’t shown up, which she had expected as Kara had been sitting with her the entire night, but she was still waiting for her friend to vanish and for the hero to make an appearance. She hadn’t lied when she had said she had considered bidding on the Super herself, if only to keep herself entertained with sly remarks that could indicate her nefarious ideas for the super and seeing the peoples reactions to it. But now that Kara was here, she had decided to entertain herself by flirting heavily with the blonde reporter and enjoying her increasingly flustered state. Besides, she’d hate for Kara to think she was interested in Supergirl when her own hero was next to her wearing glasses and a flustered, nervous, shy smile.

To have the privilege of taking her on a date, which was how the organisers had worded it when approaching her (but after her article with Cat she didn’t have a choice, and they and she knew it), the bids started with a modest five-hundred dollars. It quickly sky-rocketed.

She was hot property, if she didn’t say so herself, both her name and her money, and even her body if she thought about it. She knew she was attractive, and fit, she had to be to succeed in a mans world. But still, she would prefer someone want her for Lena, rather than her name, money, or body.

Soon the bidding was up to three thousand and a half dozen bidders were still going strong, the sports star included.

Soon after that it was over five thousand and then over ten thousand, which was kind of flattering. Her time was worth a lot, she was worth a lot, but she hadn’t thought that she was worth that much just for a date.

Then the bidding started to wind down, and she was pulled from her internal musings when someone stood and calmly bid fifteen thousand dollars.

Cat Grant met her gaze calmly but Lena’s eyes were on her shell-shocked former assistant. Kara’s eyes were wide and wounded and her lips were parted in surprise. No one was willing to challenge Cat Grant and so Lena’s future date was Cat Grant, the Queen of All Media.

She smiled sweetly for the camera even as apprehension curled in her belly. A date with Cat Grant would be more of an interrogation and she was not prepared for it. Still, she nodded politely and thanked the assistant as she was escorted off the stage. She ignored the eyes on her as she made her way back to her table, conveniently the table with Cat, Kara, Jess, and an elderly couple who made their fortune in property.

Cat gave her a little smug nod while Kara looked hurt, but she was still happy to see her as always.

“Be thankful I’ve kept you from mediocre company,” Cat said as she poured herself a glass of water from the decanter on the table.

Lena gave a little acknowledging nod. While her ‘date’ with Cat Grant would be difficult to navigate without the reporter getting anything Lena didn’t want her to, she was at least an intelligent, successful woman that Lena could discuss a variety of subjects with. Her other two potential suiters appeared to be more….physically than intellectively inclined. So at least there was that, and she didn’t think Cat would try to get into her pants, which was another bonus. So yes, of all the people who could have won a date with her, Cat Grant wasn’t the worst.

She would have preferred Kara to do so, but didn’t think the blonde had yet clued on to her more than obvious flirtations, or at least understood what Lena meant by it. And it was doubtful that Kara would have been brave enough to bid, and even then she doubted the sweet reporter had that kind of money to spare. Most of her salary went to her incredible calorie intake, even with what Lena suspected was her DEO wages. And she doubted she would want to draw attention to herself by bidding on Lena Luthor, or make it seem like she wanted a date with Lena.

There was a pile of plates near the reporter, empty of course and almost wiped clean, and she knew Kara was waiting for the wait-staff to bring out their mains.

She made a mental note to look into developing a food that could support even Kara’s mighty food intake as she took a sip of her water.

She didn’t have time to contribute to the conversation because a member of the staff appeared at Cat’s side.

“Erm, Miss Grant?” She enquired politely, nervously adjusting her bow-tie.

“Yes?’ Cat arched a brow and took a dainty sip of water.

“When is- could you,” she paused, swallowed, and tried again. “Supergirl will be the final auction of the night. Right before dessert.”

The entire table appeared intrigued by what she had to say and she flushed and stammered out the rest of her message. “I-its set for seven thirty e-exactly…so if s-he could be here b-by seven f-ifteen…t-thank you.” She ducked her head in a slight bow, looked horrified by it and then fled.

Lena cast her eyes back to Kara. The reporter had gone pale and looked rather ill and was fiddling with serviettes as the evening wore on.

Lena let herself be drawn into various subjects of conversation, and tried to make Kara feel included, but it became increasingly obvious, as the time crept closer to seven, that the blonde was not okay. She had hardly touched her main, and for Kara to not touch her food was virtually unheard of.

Lena wanted to make sure she was okay, wanted to tell her she could pretend there was an emergency and run away from the auction if she needed, but didn’t have a chance to. Jess was on one side, and the gentleman was on the other, so she could hardly talk to Kara without the rest of the table hearing, and she didn’t want to let on that she knew Kara was Supergirl until Kara was ready to tell her.

She didn’t get her chance to say anything because at ten past seven Kara stood abruptly, stammered out an ‘I don’t feel very well,’ and rushed for the bathroom.

Lena watched her leave and caught Cat’s eyes on her and lifted a brow curiously.

Cat didn’t say anything, she just dabbed at her lips with a napkin and kept her shrewd gaze on Lena.

Lena was speaking to the gentleman next to her about the interior design of her apartment when a hush fell over the crowd and she lifted her gaze to see Supergirl striding onto the stage. She took up her classic hero pose, staring out at the crowd with her chin tilted, but Lena could see the nerves lying under the surface as every eye appraised her.

Kieran ran quickly through the general speech of who Supergirl was, who her charity was, and what they could expect from her date. Then the bidding began, and it was as though the citizens of National City had lost their composure and civility because hands went up and the shouting began.

Lena almost wanted one of those judge gavel’s so that she could bang it on the table and bring order to the room, rather than the people acting like starving dogs over a piece of meat. Kara, Supergirl, deserved so much more.

“Are you not going to bid on your hero?”

Cat took a while to respond, tearing her furrowed brow off the stage where the hero looked absolutely mortified by the frantic shouting going on in her name, and shook her head.

“No. It would be improper of me to buy out my own hero.”

Lena could only nod in agreement. It probably wouldn’t look good for Cat to get a date with her prodigy, the rumours about the two were already whispered.

The price sky-rocketed and soon was above twenty-three thousand and still going, though the people who had bid on her only for fun had fallen quiet much earlier.

It was still steadily climbing, the bidders were people who had previously been heard discussing what they would like to do to Supergirl, and Lena felt tendrils of discomfort curl in her belly. Kara; sweet, beautiful, brave, selfless Kara deserved so much more than someone who just wanted to brag that they’d gone on a date with Supergirl.

Then she did something stupid. She lifted her hand, as the final bid for $67,800 went for its final call, and bid clearly, strongly as the room went deadly silent. “One-hundred thousand dollars.”


	8. Chapter 8

Kara bounced nervously in her boots while she waited for Sarah, the girl who met her outside, to lead her into the room and guide her to the stage. She was currently waiting in the wings while she talked to Kieran about hurrying along her auction, she wanted it over as soon as possible.

Since the buzz had swept through the room earlier when the gathered guests were aware Supergirl would be arriving shortly for her own date auction, Kara had struggled to tune out the comments, but some of them got through. Many of those that did were…not for the general audience…. In fact most of them were lewd and, quite frankly, repulsive. She hated what they were saying about her, Supergirl, and what they wanted to do to her. Her stomach squirmed in discomfort.

Having not gone further than some enthusiastic kissing, mostly because humans were so _fragile_ , the thought of doing any of…. That…. With any of the men, and a few of the women actually. But the female comments were more in jest and less…well….the idea wasn’t as repulsive. She wasn’t, or Supergirl wasn’t, being viewed as much of an object as she was when the men were talking about her- it was a minor difference, but of all the people talking about her _sexually_ the women seemed to have more of an equal pleasure thing going for them. Which, the idea of maybe doing that sort of thing with Lena didn’t seem so bad. She’d at least take care of her, she knew that much. But it was still weird. The thought of kissing her friend, let alone doing anything else, made her insides quiver.

All too soon she was striding onto the stage with her family crest proudly on display. She picked Lena out of the crowd instantly and the CEO met her gaze a moment, and she smiled encouragingly and Kara suddenly felt like she could do this. Could be auctioned off like a piece of meat.

She hadn’t done a pre-auction interview like the other celebrities, J’onn had warned against it, instead the organisers had put together an impressive montage of Supergirl saving the city.

“So who is your chosen charity, Supergirl?” Kieran asked politely and half the audience leant forward in their seats.

“OneLove,” she answered clearly, strongly and gave him a small smile. OneLove was National City’s most prominent LGBT+ charity and their most popular program, apart from providing LGBT+ youth with support, resources, and a refuge, was where they went into schools and talked to the children. They hoped that through education and exposure the younger generations would be more accepting than their parents and grandparents. They also hoped that the children could teach acceptance and love to their peers and even parents.

She didn’t miss the ripple of surprise and even interest that ran though the room. She could hear them speculating over her own sexuality and wondering if her support was a confession, but she ignored the whispers. She didn’t owe anyone that information about her, especially not a group of strangers.

Kieran floundered a moment and then rallied. “Are-is-does,” he faltered. “Does that mean you’re….. you know…?”

He asked and she tilted her head, keeping her flare of ire off her face. She heard a quiet giggle and knew that it was Lena, and fought to keep her smile off her face.

“Am I what?” She enquired dumbly, waiting and wanting the host to sound it out himself.

He winced a little under her steady gaze and she was trying her best to imitate Lena’s stare and eyebrow arch. She’d seen it in action once and that one time was enough for her to know she never wanted it directed at her. Ever. It was a look and move that expected respect while channelling dignity, grace, intelligence, regality, and made the person it was set upon feel three-feet tall. Kara didn’t think she’d channelled the ‘CEO Look’ like Cat and Lena did, but gave it her best shot and Kieran seemed to be receptive to it. He had paled several shades and she could hear the stutter in his heartbeat.

“Are you… you know…. Homosexual?”

Ah, so he did have the nerve to ask. Once she would have been flustered and nervous and probably answer honestly, but Lena had talked with Kara once about what Supergirl owed the world. She recalled the conversation now as she considered her response.

‘ _People are like that, Kara_ ,’ Lena said as she lowered her wine glass to the coffee-table and picked up her plate. ‘ _They think that because you choose to live publically, or choose to be a public figure or have some sort of power that puts you in the public eye, that you are owned by their gaze_.’ She examined her pizza and seemed to be deciding which piece she’d like to tackle first. She picked it up daintily and lifted it to her lips where she paused. ‘ _They think they are entitled to your time and anything about you. They think they own you. Just like with Supergirl_.’

Kara had finished swallowing her pizza and wiped her hands on a serviette. It was pizza night where once a month the two would eat pizza and watch a movie and relax over the weekend. Lena could only spare a weekend each month, so they made the most of it. Kara even made sure J’onn would be taking care of Supergirl duties so that the two could spend time together without interruption.

‘ _What would you suggest she do? How would you deal with it?_ ’ Kara had asked and taken a sip of her soda.

‘ _Whatever she gives will never be enough_ ,’ Lena had responded after a long moments thought. ‘ _They want to know her friends, her family, her likes and dislikes. They want everything. Even things she may not be prepared to give_.’ Lena had taken a bite and chewed thoughtfully. ‘ _She has three options; Give them everything, and be prepared to face the risks that comes with such openness. Give them nothing and, for all intents and purposes, hide and only interact with people as her alter-ego- but that would eventually foster distrust. Or,_ ’ Lena finished. ‘ _She can interact with them but give them nothing- it keeps them guessing while also keeps enough interest so they don’t start to distrust her._ ’

Kara hummed. ‘ _So give them enough to keep them hungry, but not enough to state their appetite_?’

‘ _Exactly_ ,’ Lena smirked and guided some cheese into her mouth with her finger. ‘ _How do you think I deal with the press? Well_ ,’ she paused. ‘ _Before you anyway_.’

Kara grinned and dove for some more pizza and as Lena explained some of the run-ins she had with the press before moving to National City.

“I don’t think I count as homosexual,” Kara offered and smiled pleasantly at Kieran. “Not being _homos_ apien and all,” she added with a wry smile. “I don’t think it matters what sexuality, as you humans call it, I am. I love who I love. In this instance I am supporting a charity that provides refuge and shelter for teens kicked from their homes, and educates and supports. Why is it you choose to ask me of my own preferences rather than focusing on the great work this charity, and many others do? Why does that matter more?”

There was silence after her words as people considered what she had said and Kieran faltered. He opened his mouth to respond and closed it. She let her internal smirk play slightly on her features, smiling at him gently.

“It is a good cause,” she said and inclined her head a little. “I have been honoured with meeting the volunteers and the teens themselves. I’m hoping the bidders keep that in mind when it comes to opening their pockets.”

Kieran had finally gathered his composure back to him and was nodding in agreement. “You’re absolutely right! It is an excellent cause. I’m sure they’ll be thankful for your donation tonight.”

Kara nodded in agreement.

“All right,” Kieran said as he turned back to the audience. “For our resident hero let’s start the bidding at a thousand dollars.”

It went quickly. Men and, well, mostly men but a handful of women, lifting their hands as the dollar sign attached to her offered date skyrocketed. In order to speed things along and get to the really interested parties, Kieran upped the price to ten thousand, and then thirty thousand when it was clear the bidders were still interested. A bidding war between two handsome young men pushed the price into the fifties and from how they kept glancing at each other and edging the price onward, they were clearly trying to out-do each other. One thousand dollars at a time. The other bidders seemed increasingly reluctant to donate so much money and soon it was only the two gentlemen left.

Fighting down her ire at it, that they were only bidding to beat each other and not for her-not that she wanted to be bought but still- she chanced a glance at Lena. Her friends striking eyes hadn’t left her the entire time, she could feel her gaze almost burning through the air, and when she looked at her, Lena had a slight smile on her lips. It was soft. Fond.

She wanted to look away from her eyes, a burning in her chest that grew the longer she held Lena’s gaze. Eventually she had to tear her gaze away, lifting her eyes to the side and was met with Cat Grant’s knowing smirk. She fought down the urge to flush under her mentors stare. She was working right now, she would not blush like a school girl. She was a hero. She was Supergirl.

The two boys- lets face it, men they may have been in age, but they were boys- were staring at each other across their table, laughing together. One leant forward to whisper something to the other, and the table ‘ooohed’ in unison, but they weren’t to know that the girl they were planning on ‘buying’ could hear every word and didn’t like it.

Kara could feel her features closing down immediately and had to blink away the fire in her eyes. It wouldn’t do good for her to accidently explode a table with her lazer vision, but Rao was she tempted. She didn’t like to be referred to as well, it was undignified, inappropriate, and quite frankly rude, and there was no world that Kara would ever allow what they wanted from her. Still. She didn’t particularly want to have to sit through any amount of time with either of them. She would fake an emergency immediately, of course, but knew that the boy would likely ‘leak’ details of their ‘date’ or even give an entire false interview where he would discuss the sordid details. Her stomach curled unpleasantly. Nothing would happen, but she didn’t particularly want to be the butt of multiple jokes for weeks to come. Supergirl was worth more than that. She was worth more than that.

“Sixty seven thousand and eight-hundred dollars for a date with Supergirl.” Kieran was saying, the second time he had said so.

Kara swallowed. It looked like the man-child that was more orange than the other, with very tight clothing and gelled hair, and what looked like daddies money, would be buying her time. She almost didn’t think it was worth it. But OneLove could certainly use any money she obtained for them, so surely she could bear to give some of her time to the winner.

She cast a single, panicked and pleading glance in Cat’s direction as she over-heard her and Lena discussing the potential of Cat bidding on her ‘date.’ She was very disappointed when Cat declined, but her reasons were sound.

“Last call, sixty-seven thousand eight hundred dollars for a date with Supergirl.”

And then her heart stopped because Lena Luthor had lifted her hand.

She heard the room fall deadly silent, all eyes slowly turning to look at the Luthor.

She cast a brief, challenging smirk at the man-child that looked thrilled he had out-bid his companion, and then locked eyes with Kara. Her lips briefly curled in the corners, eyes soft but determined. And then she offered her own bid.

“One hundred thousand dollars.”

Were it not for the eyes glancing between the two, Luthor and Super, like it were a rally at a Wimbledon, she may have fainted.

Kieran was silent for a long moment.

“O-kay,” he swallowed, loudly, it echoed in the room. “Can anyone top that? One-hundred thousand and one?”

His call was left unanswered and Lena met Kara’s gaze across the room and it was as though they were the only two there. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she didn’t know what to do with her hands, or her face. Did she smile at Lena? She didn’t want to give the wrong impression. Lena would be absolutely preferable to any of the other people in this room, man-child included and at the bottom of the list, but why was she bidding on her? Why did she just offer a, frankly ridiculous amount of money, even for Lena, to spend some time with Supergirl? It was stupid. Lena never had to do anything other than offer her availability for Kara to spend time with her, and it was the most important asset she had. Her time. But then, she wasn’t bidding on Kara, she was bidding on Supergirl. Did she like Supergirl?

“Annnnd Lena Luthor wins the date with Supergirl for one-hundred k.” Kieran gave a little whistle and it trailed off awkwardly as the room maintained its shocked silence.

Kara wasn’t sure what to do. Did she smile and fly away? Or did she go and talk to Lena? What was the protocol here?

Cat helped her out. Clapping slowly and pointedly in the room and soon the entire room was clapping and breaking out into sound, whispers and murmurs cast across tables and to neighbours, all centred on the victorious Luthor with her eyes still on the Super.

Lena inclined her head slightly to Kieran, eyes still locked with Kara’s and then spoke quietly, for Kara’s ears only.

“I hope you don’t mind,” she said softly, lips barely moving. “But I could hardly let that…. Man-child…“Kara’s lips fought valiantly against a smile but did not succeed and her lips curled. “Out-bid me. He doesn’t deserve even a moment of your time.”

Kara’s eyebrow lifted automatically and Lena gave a little nod. “I don’t expect I am either but-“ the idea of it felt wrong and before Lena’s ruby lips could form the next few words Kara was at her side.

“-I won’t-.” Her blink and abrupt silence was her only indication of her surprise.

“You are,” Kara said quietly, voice firm but soft as she spoke to Lena.

The CEO blinked and tilted her head slightly and it wasn’t supposed to look so…adorable.

“You are worthy of my time, Lena,” Kara smiled softly and was rewarded with a genuine smile from the CEO. “If….if you actually wanted to…. I…we,” Kara lifted her hand as though to adjust her glasses and faltered before running her hand through her hair. “You sort of bid on a date with me….” She didn’t quite know how to convey what she was feeling.

But Lena seemed to get it. Lena always understood her.

“Well,” she ducked her head with a smile, and Kara would call it the shyest she had ever seen Lena. Cat was virtually smirking into her wine glass as though it were cream and she were her namesake and the people around them weren’t subtle in their attempt to eavesdrop. “I did technically bid for a date with you. I’d hate to be the woman who stood-up Supergirl.”

Kara couldn’t help her smile. She couldn’t explain it but the idea of going on a date with Lena made her feel like she could fly, even though she could, and her stomach was warm and she was tingling all over.

“Okay,” she beamed and tried not to bounce on her feet.

“It’s a date,” Lena said and she was offering a half smile, a knowing smile.

“Okay,” she gave a little nod and backed away, nearly tripping over a chair as she did and then she was thankful for her super-speed as she fled the scene. Lena’s soft, light laughter heralded her exit and she rushed for the bathroom where she had left her clothing.

She had a date with Lena!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll respond to comments tomorrow :D


	9. Chapter 9

“Keira!”

Kara heard the summons from where she was exiting James’ cubby hole and instinctively turned to where her boss was.

“Keira!” Cat’s voice rose slightly and Kara winced but quickly moved across the floor to Cat’s office.

“Yes?” She asked, confused as to why she had been called as Cat had a new assistant now.

“Inside. Now,” Cat didn’t look up from where she was peering over the rim of her glasses at her monitor.

Kara obeyed and quickly passed over the carpet to stand before the desk waiting for Cat to tell her why she was here.

“Lena Luthor,” she said absently and Kara’s heart lurched. “Your friends, yes?”

Kara nodded eagerly and opened her mouth to explain how they had met but Cat waved off her explanation with an elegant wave of her hand. “Organise a date with her,” Cat instructed without turning from her computer screen. “No expense spared, Kiera.” Cat lifted her eyes pointedly. “Chop chop,” she said and Kara hesitated and then gave a little nod, not sure on how she should feel about her boss going on a date with her best friend.

“Oh and Keira?” Cat added as she was nearly at the door. “Make sure it’s something she’ll enjoy.”

Kara ducked her head in acknowledgement and almost ran back to her small office. She was feeling two ways about this, the first was anger and confusion and no small amount of hurt over Cat going on a date with Lena. Cat would probably use the opportunity to try and get some information out of Lena, and it wasn’t that Kara didn’t blame her, it was the perfect opportunity, it was just that Lena deserved better. She deserved someone who wanted to spend time with her and actually cared about why she was at the location she was; someone who actually put thought into the date because they wanted to make Lena happy. And Kara had some great ideas on a date with Lena, heck, anytime the two of them hung out was basically a date; Kara liked taking Lena places she wanted to go and to do things with her that she wanted. There were just no feelings involved. It was all platonic. Really.

So she knew exactly what she would do for Lena Luthor for a date, and she wanted it to be a good one as Lena didn’t get out very often and she may as well make the most of it if it were a once every few months occurrence. And as money wasn’t an option for Cat Grant then Kara could make it the best date ever, anything to get Lena to smile. It was with this thought in mind that she sat down and began to jot ideas down on a note-pad. As she expected it didn’t take very long until she had a long list and from there all she had to do was pick and choose the two or three options that would best suit and could be combined into one afternoon and evening.

Less than an hour later she was ringing one of National City’s finest restaurants and using Cat’s name to get a reservation. Then she was talking to Cat’s driver and organising his availability for the evening, and one phone call later and she was fairly well set for Cat and Lena’s date. The thought wiped the smile from her face.

Both Cat and Lena were strong, intelligent, powerful, independent women, the thought of them together wasn’t….all that farfetched, if she were to be honest with herself. They both valued loyalty and were both very powerful women in fields dominated by men, together the two of them would become the most powerful couple in the city, if there was attraction there. And she didn’t see why not.

Cat Grant was…Cat Grant! She was successful, cunning, generous, intelligent, and driven. She was beautiful and experienced.

And Lena, Lena was….words couldn’t describe Lena Luthor. She was so….bright and warm and good. She was ridiculously intelligent, strong, so caring, kind and stubborn, though she told Kara she liked to think of herself as determined-it was a nicer word. And anyone with eyes could see that Lena was drop-dead gorgeous, and actually a blind person could probably tell. It was in the way she carried herself, in her actions, her mannerisms. Everything Lena did she did with purpose and grace and a regality that few people could ever compete with. Lena had a beautiful soul.

They would be relatively well matched, if it were to come to that. Kara rubbed her breast bone in discomfort and rose from her chair to inform Cat of the arrangements and made sure to send Jess a quick email with the details. Cat and Lena’s date would be in the next week, on a Wednesday evening, and Kara had made sure to include instructions for what Lena should wear, or to have a change of clothes brought with her.

Cat had looked over the details and had given a simple nod and gone back to her work, and Kara took that as a win. And Jess had replied promptly telling her that Lena would be ready at three thirty outside her apartment.

Kara felt awkward about organising the date for her friend, and wondered what she would tell her if Lena asked. She didn’t have time to think on it as she was soon summoned for a Supergirl emergency and put the thought to the back of her mind as she had a busy week, and indeed, only thought of it on the Monday of the next week, two days before Cat and Lena’s date. And by then it was far too late.

~*~

“You wanted to see me, Miss Grant?” Kara enquired as she came into Cat’s office. She glanced at Cat’s team of tailors and then back at the CEO as she came around her desk with her tablet.

“Yes,” Cat said and held out the tablet to one of the tailors. “I was thinking something like this,” she said, tone offering very little negotiation. The tailor peered at the image a moment and then glanced at Kara who flushed under her gaze and fiddled with her glasses nervously, before looking back at the tablet.

“Yes,” she hummed in agreement and gave a little nod. “That could work.”

Cat gave a little, pleased smile, and then gestured for the wary Kara to come closer.

“Come here, Keira,” she instructed in a tone that offered no chance for disobedience and Kara obeyed.

“I’m having you fitted for a dress,” she told her and her eyes narrowed when Kara opened her mouth to protest. Kara’s jaw clicked shut. She had learnt long ago to not challenge Cat Grant when she had made a decision.

“Uh,” Kara blinked and edged further into the room, knowing she would do whatever Cat wanted. “What’s-,”

She pushed her glasses up her nose and glanced at Cat’s tailors nervously. “What’s it for?” She enquired and took another step closer.

She knew Cat’s team well; had worked with them many times over the years, but they very rarely did anything for Kara, and they had never done something for Kara without doing it for Cat, so the entire situation was unusual and a little suspicious.

“Oh, you never know when these things are needed,” Cat said airily, waving a perfectly manicured hand delicately. “I decided your wardrobe needed some improvement…. After all,” she said and sauntered back to her desk as the tailors came to stand around Kara and take her measurements. “You’re Catco’s latest reporter and my own prodigy,” she said and there was a hint of pride to her voice and Kara felt her heart warm. “We can’t have you looking like you shop at target when you’re accepting a Pulitzer Prize over that terrible gossip Lois Lane,” Cat sneered and then Kara felt awkward again.

“Um, the awards ceremony isn’t until-“

“Yes, yes,” Cat interrupted irritably and Kara wisely kept her mouth shut. “I do know when it is, Kiera. I have been nominated, _again_ ,” she added with a slight sigh as though it were an obligation, rather than an acknowledgement of her own excellence in the field.

Deciding it would be best for her to let Cat do as Cat did, Kara kept her mouth sealed and let her tailors measure the various angles of her body and fought down a blush when they got closer to her than she would have liked. It took them about fifteen minutes, and they held various shades of fabric up to her for Cat’s inspection and she eventually settled on a very pretty blue.

“And it will be in the design we discussed?” Cat enquired as the trio packed up their bags but there was no doubt to the rhetorically of the question. Cat wanted that design and she would get that design.

“Of course, Cat,” said the lead tailor with a smile. “Anything for you, dear.”

Cat gave a pleased smile as they exited and Kara relaxed a hair.

“Um, Miss Grant?” She hedged, fingers toying with the edge of her sweater.

“Yes, Keira?” Cat asked and looked up from her latest draft of the magazine.

“Do you, um,” she hesitated and Cat lifted an eyebrow. “Do you have something to wear for Wednesday? With Lena? I mean, Miss Luthor?”

Cat smiled and it was a slow, knowing, sly smile and Kara fought down the urge to fidget under her gaze. “Ah yes, Keira. I have everything planned. Don’t you worry,” she said and her smile was pleased.

“I’m certain Miss Luthor will have a wonderful evening.”

Kara ducked her head slightly and her stomach twisted. “Was there anything else?” She asked, ready to get out of there and away from the discomfort she felt.

“That’ll be all, Keira,” Cat said and returned to her work, smug smile still on her lips and Kara swallowed and wondered just how Cat and Lena’s date would go. Cat sounded very confident, and she was probably right. Their date would probably be amazing. For a brief moment she wondered how Lena and Cat would feel about her crashing the date, and made a mental note to be ready in her uniform in case she needed to rescue Lena. She could do that, she thought to herself as she exited Cat’s office. Supergirl could need Lena Luthor’s advice on something alien-tech related and she could save her from the sham of a date with Cat.

Cat would understand, and she could even give her an exclusive on it to make her feel better about it. That could work, she nodded to herself and decided to tell Alex that she and J’onn would have to handle Supergirl business on Wednesday as she needed to be there for Lena. She would always be there for Lena, even if she didn’t know it or need it.

Two days later and Kara was absently flying above the city in her uniform and keeping an eye and an ear out for Lena Luthor. It was three twenty and Cat would soon be picking Lena up from in front of her building and whisking her off for private ice-skating lessons with a former world champion.

It had been one of Lena’s secret desires, something she had mentioned off-hand to Kara about having always wanted to learn to ice-skate, hoping that maybe she would be more graceful on ice than she was on land. Kara had remembered it-she remembered everything Lena said- and had thought about taking Lena out on her next free afternoon to the skating rink and seeing if Lena could do it. Of course, with Cat Grant’s name and money she had been able to book the rink for the afternoon and arrange private tutorage with an Olympic medallist.

Afterwards the car would drop Lena off so that she could get ready for her evening at National City’s Theatre, where the local troop were debuting an apparently ‘brilliant and magical’ rendition of _A midsummer night’s dream_. The elite of National City were all sure to be dressed in their finery and it was something Lena had expressed an interest in seeing, adding sheepishly she had once been in her universities rendition of the same and had shot to fame as peasant number three. Kara had laughed, demanded to see the photos, which Lena had reluctantly shown her, and had then said her performance was amazing and she was not surprised that she had stolen the show with her one line. Lena had laughed softly and slapped her on the shoulder and then clicked to the next photo and explained why she and Lex were covered in dirt in a garden with robots in the background behind them.

After the play Kara had made a reservation for Cat and Lena at a nearby five-star restaurant and then the car would return Lena to her apartment at about half nine. It was a full on afternoon and evening, but Kara had hoped Lena would enjoy it, and that Cat wouldn’t be so….Cat-like about it. She wanted Lena to enjoy it, even if it wasn’t real.

A ringing in her air caught her attention and she clicked her ear piece, slowly lowering herself to land on a building so that she could better hear Cat Grant.

“Miss Grant?” She enquired and held onto the top of a skyscraper and ducked her head.

“Keira,” Miss Grant sighed and Kara instinctively swung her head around to locate her boss. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it to my date tonight. Carter’s sick.”

“Is he okay?” Kara demanded immediately and ducked her vision to try and locate Cat and her son in case they needed her.

“He’ll be fine,” Cat had soften, probably over Kara’s obvious concern for her son. “But I’m afraid you’ll have to cancel my date with Lena Luthor.”

“Oh,” Kara said and she glanced down at the building opposite her. Lena’s penthouse suite at the top. She could hear Lena in discussion with Jess about some L-Corp business.

“Though,” Cat hedged, voice tinged with...something that Kara couldn’t quite put her name on, “I’d hate to stand her up. Imagine what the media would say?” Kara’s stomach squirmed uncomfortably at the thought.

The press had been hounding all of the celebrities and their dates since the auction. In particular the high-profile ones had been the target of many rumours and suggested dates for them. Supergirl’s date with Lena Luthor was of course the most profile of the expected dates and, as Lena was the easier to access of the two, she had been hounded about it. She had borne it with good-grace, relatively, but was clearly growing tired of it as she had issued a statement yesterday about it; asking for more privacy over the matter, assuring the people she had no sinister intentions for their hero.

Kara had wanted to make her own statement on Supergirl’s Twitter, but Alex and Vasquez had warned her off it so she had remained silent. Lena was handling it just fine, and she must have known the storm she would be walking in to the moment she bid on Supergirl.

“Actually,” Cat said and now Kara could pinpoint the intonation to her voice. It was victory. “You should take my place,” she said and Kara inhaled and choked slightly on her own spit. Cat ignored it and talked over her miniature coughing fit. “You deserve a treat after all of your articles and of course then the rest of those animals at those gossip rags won’t be able to make a terrible story about Lena. That won’t be an issue, will it?” She enquired silkily and Kara rasped out a response.

“No,” she choked and Cat’s smug voice came down the line.

“Well, do enjoy yourself Kara,” she said and then she was gone and the static kickback would have made Kara recoil if she weren’t so concerned with what she had just agreed to. Oh, Rao! She, Kara, had a date with Lena Luthor!

She tried not to hyperventilate while she processed what was now about to happen. She had to go down and take Lena on a date, a date she had planned for her best friend, a date she had designed entirely to make her happy. The thought made her heart flutter.

Oh, she didn’t have a dress! Her rising panic was paused as she felt her phone vibrate and she dug it out as her blood pressure rose.

_Keira. I’ll have your dress delivered to your apartment. Enjoy your date. C_

Kara swallowed her beating heart and took a deep breath as she realised Cat had thought of everything. Then her eyes narrowed. What a coincidence that Carter was sick, Lena needed a date, and that Kara just so happened to have a dress for it.

It was highly suspicious and she made a mental note to talk to Cat as soon as possible but her heart was warm at the thought. She got to spend time with her best friend doing something that would make her happy.

Deciding to just go with it she pushed off the building and began her freefall towards the ground. She had only a few minutes to get to Lena’s and she didn’t want to be late.

She made it on time, changing behind the dumpster she usually did and jogging towards Lena’s building. Lewis, Cat’s driver, was already parked outside in the loading zone, and she saw a few photographers loitering around waiting to get a shot of Lena as she knocked on the window.

“Hey Lewis!” Kara beamed and he got out of the car.

“Miss Danvers,” he smiled in greeting. “Miss Grant informed me of the change in plans.”

“Did she?” Kara arched a brow and Lewis gave a little smile and nodded.

“She did,” he replied knowingly and Kara recalled he had been the one to drive her and Cat home after the gala when Kara hadn’t been able to stay quiet about how stunning Lena had been in her tux. The memory of it made a blush rise to her cheeks and she chanced a glance to the door in case Lena had arrived without her hearing her. She hadn’t, but Lewis was smiling gently when she looked back at him.

“You enjoy your date, Miss Danvers,” he smiled and Kara ducked her head and gave a shy nod.

His smile widened. “I’ll take the scenic route,” he said teasingly and Kara blinked as she heard a familiar heart-beat approaching, swift with nerves.

“What do you-“ she began and then she blushed even harder, realising exactly what he was referring to.

“It’s not like-we aren’t- she’s not-“Kara began and tried to babble her way out of the situation she found herself in.

“Kara?”

She was saved by Lena’s arrival and turned to face her friend with a big smile. Lena was wearing jeans, a faded band t-shirt, and a half zipped sweat-shirt.

“What are you doing here?” She enquired, brow furrowed in confusion and Kara smiled sweetly.

“Oh, hi Kara. How are you? Nice to see you,” she teased and Lena rolled her eyes.

“Sorry. Hello Kara,” she said and stepped closer as Lewis ducked his head and opened the door for them both. A few paparazzi were interested in the exchange, but because Kara was a well-known friend of Lena’s it wasn’t as important.

“How are you? It’s nice to see you,” she parroted and then smiled at her. “But really, where’s Cat?”

Kara met her eyes shyly before lowering them.

“I’m your date for today,” she said and glanced up at Lena from under her lashes and toed the pavement. “If that’s okay?”

“Oh!” Surprise flashed on Lena’s features for a moment and then fell before pleasure as Lena smiled. “Yes,” she breathed softly. “That’s fine.” Her eyes were glowing like green lanterns and Kara was caught in them.

She didn’t know how long she and Lena would have remained staring into each others eyes if it weren’t for Lewis. He coughed politely and they tore their attention from each other and to him, returning to the present instead of their own little world consisting of the two of them.

“My Lady,” Kara said with a playful bow and directed Lena to the open door.

Lena’s soft laugh escorted them both into the car and their date began.

“Where are you taking me, Kara?” Lena asked with a gentle smile and bright eyes and she placed her hand on the middle of the seat between them.

“It’s a secret,” Kara grinned in response as Lewis guided the car out into the traffic and towards the National City Ice Rink.

Lena rolled her eyes good-naturedly, knowing she wouldn’t get anything further out of Kara, enquired as to her day. It had been fairly relaxed. She’d handed in an article this morning so now she was waiting for Snapper to send it back to her with red ink scrawled across it so her day job was mostly free. And as J’onn and the DEO were taking care of DEO business for the night, she was all Lena’s and she so.

Then she blushed and glanced away as she realised what her words could mean out of context but some part of her didn’t want to explain it away and she certainly wasn’t about to take them back.

Lena’s heart started in surprise at the admission but she didn’t say anything of it, she just smiled softly, eyes warm and so bright. Kara was caught and the lyrics to a song she couldn’t remember came to mind. _I could live by the light in your eyes_. And it was then that she came to a realisation.

Lena was her light. Light, sunlight especially, gave her her strength and made her a hero, or rather let her be Supergirl. It was an easy conclusion from then on. If Lena was her light and light gave her strength, then Lena made her strong. Lena was her sun. And she could never be without it, could never be the hero everyone saw her as without it. She could never be without Lena because…. Because she loved her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a filler. Up next: date, date, and epilogue? Maybe, not many chapters to go :D


	10. Chapter 10

Lena Luthor was nervous. Very nervous. And Luthor’s , as a rule, didn’t do nervous. Nevertheless she was. And she was nervous because tonight she was going to tell Supergirl, or tell Kara (depending on how her night went) how she felt about her. How she felt about her with strictly non-platonic feelings. And Luthor’s weren’t good with feelings, especially with rejection. So she was nervous.

She glanced at her watch a moment before smoothing down the front of her shirt and gathering her belongings from the bed. She had gone with dark jeans and heels, and the shirt she was wearing was tight and gathered at her right hip, exposing a sliver of skin. She’d paired it with a long light jacket and had her hair long and loose, knowing Kara had liked it.

It had been a challenge to plan a date with Supergirl, and ‘someone’ had let it slip where they were going. They were going to one of her favourite restaurants, a restaurant well-known for its salad bar, and one that she hadn’t taken Kara to, knowing of her friends aversion to anything healthy. It was also vegetarian, something she was looking forward to dangling in Kara’s face and seeing her disgust.

She had instructed Supergirl, through Kara, to come to her apartment and then they would be driven to the restaurant. Kara had been wanting hints all week since their own date and Lena had enjoyed dropping hints here and there that had nothing to do with what she was planning for her hero. Kara was trying her best with her puppy pout out in full force but Lena was resisting admirably, she had even booked out a cinema, a museum, an aquarium, and a theatre, as well as many reservations at various restaurants, to throw Kara off the scent.

So far Kara, through the speculation of the press, thought they were going to the aquarium and then to one of National City’s finest restaurants. Kara wasn’t going to know what had hit her when she learnt the truth of Lena’s plan. It was amazing what Lena could do when she started to scheme, and it was something she had enjoyed, so if everything went according to plan eg-dinner, dancing, a confession, and maybe (hopefully) a kiss, then she’d look forward to planning more secret dates with Kara Danvers in the future.

She was hopeful that Kara did actually return her more-than-friendly feelings after their own ‘date’, when Kara had replaced the absentee Cat Grant. It had been a relief for Lena to not have to be on guard the entire evening and Kara had been wonderful company. To her surprise her friend was like a swan on the ice-graceful and elegant. Kara wasn’t to know that Lena knew she was using her super talent to stay upright and maybe push herself along. The instructor had commented that Kara could have gone to the Olympics but Kara had shook her head and labelled it up to luck. Lena noticed that after that she stumbled a lot more and certainly didn’t go as fast.

Dinner had been sweet and conversation had flowed well, mostly centring on Lena’s bruises. She did not have the grace of a gazelle on the ice and had fallen multiple times, but by the end of it she was able to go at a moderate pace. Kara had been attentive and intense and touched her a lot, more than usual, and had even walked her to her door. She had thought she might try to kiss her, had pleaded with the stars for it, but Kara had shuffled away and awkwardly adjusted her glasses as she wished her a good night.

So Lena knew it was up to her to push their friendship, even if it was the hardest thing she had ever done. Kara wasn’t willing to do it, so that meant Lena had to. It just had to go to plan.

She took a steadying breath and exited her apartment, making sure to secure it behind her before she made her way to the elevators.

Clearing security she didn’t spare a glance for the photographers already outside her building and made a mental note to up her personal security. She didn’t want to endanger the other inhabitants of the building just because a Luthor lived on the top floor. The buildings security mobilised and pushed their way through the gathered mob of paparazzi so she could reach her car. She paused at seeing a flash of blue and red leaning against it before quickly continuing forward, not wanting the cameras to catch her stop.

Supergirl.

Kara was leaning against Lena’s car keeping a careful eye on the reporters and not responding to their yelled questions. She wasn’t even blinking in the face of their voices and the flashes of the camera. In fact she looked almost…. Blank? And Lena felt a slight frown furrow on her face. She didn’t want to make Kara uncomfortable, as it appeared she was, she wanted her to be comfortable while she tried to sound out how Kara felt about her. It was sneaky, but she had a perfect opportunity to do it, and to also maybe flirt a little with Kara as Supergirl and see how it was received. Kara was normally a flustered mess around her that she couldn’t tell if Kara was responding to her gentle flirtations or was like that with everyone.

Supergirl beamed when she looked up and saw Lena approaching and pushed off the car with her hips and unfolded her arms.

Lena’s driver was at the door and opening it for her with a nod and a smile.

Lena smiled at him and looked at Kara-Supergirl, she reminded herself, before inclining her head to the door.

“You’re early,” she said as Supergirl gestured for her to enter first. Lena slid into the cool leather and away from the intrusive questions and flashing cameras.

Supergirl gave a little shrug and quickly folded herself into the car behind her, moving her cape across her legs so it wasn’t pulling.

“I was in the area,” she said and Lena caught her hands twitch as though she wanted to raise them to her hips in her hero pose. She settled instead for bouncing her leg nervously on the car, shaking it slightly with her strength.

Lena hummed as she did her belt up, choosing not to comment on the vibrations that had taken over the car but her driver met her eyes in the mirror with an amused smirk. “I’m sure you were,” she commented and Kara gave a little shrug, as though Kara Danvers hadn’t asked Supergirl to show up at Lena’s apartment at six o’clock.

“I have dinner planned and thought we could spend a few hours together,” Lena began as their driver took them away from the paparazzi and Supergirl looked at her cautiously, leg slowing down and eventually stopping. “Of course, if you are needed elsewhere I do understand.”

Supergirl’s brow had furrowed but she gave a little nod and Lena didn’t bother to hide her pleased smile.

“Good,” she nodded and the compartment was filled with awkward silence, which was odd because Kara could barely keep her mouth shut most of the time. She started to fidget with her fingers, rolling them around and interlocking them and Lena noticed immediately. She hadn’t quite thought this through. Lena knew Kara was Supergirl, but Kara didn’t know she knew. As far as Kara knew, Lena and Supergirl were having a first-get to know you-date and she would be keeping herself in check so not to out herself or say something she shouldn’t.

She didn’t want to let on, just yet, that she knew who Kara was, but she had thought their conversation would flow a bit better than this awkward silence. After all, it was Kara.

“I would have Googled a ‘Twenty questions to ask your families nemesis and your tentative work partner’ but didn’t think I’d get many hits,” Lena said dryly as a thought came to her and she dug her phone from her purse and opened Safari. Kara blinked and then she smiled a little and shook her head fondly. The slight strain to her shoulders eased a little and Lena inwardly congratulated herself.

“No…. probably not.”

“That being said,” Lena said and showed Kara the list on her phone with a flourish. “I have another one.”

Kara’s smile turned pained but Lena ignored it. “If this is a date, then we have to get to know each other.”

“This-this-um,” Kara blushed prettily and Lena raised a brow at her as they came to a halt at an intersection. “This is a date?”

Lena paused and lowered her phone a little, trying to get a read on Kara.

“If you want it to be?” Lena offered carefully and Kara blinked. She was throwing the word around in jest, wanting a laugh and a scoff or even a denial from the Super, but Kara had yet to say anything. In fact she looked nervous. “But we can just hang out as…work colleagues… who are free from responsibilities for the night if you want. We don’t have to label anything.”

Supergirl shook her head quickly. “We’re friends, Miss Lu-Lena,” she corrected quickly and her smile was genuine.

Lena worried her lips but nodded her head. That Kara hadn’t mentioned the ‘date’ aspect of their evening didn’t escape her notice and she felt her heart flutter. Maybe she hadn’t been so off the bar about Kara’s feelings for her. Perhaps Supergirl could be a wing-woman for them both?

“Of course,” Lena inclined her head, nothing if not charming, “but do you object to the questions? I’m afraid I’m not all that good with friends…. I only have one in National City,” she added a little self-deprecatingly.

Supergirl frowned at her. “That’s not true! You have me!”

“You’re sweet,” Lena replied and placed her hand gently on the hero’s arm, unable to resist the adamant support Kara gave her. The fabric was cool to touch and was rough beneath her fingers.

Kara flushed and shifted uncomfortably and Lena immediately removed her hand.

“I don’t mind about the questions,” Supergirl said quickly as they wound their way through the city. “But you have to answer them too.”

Lena nodded in agreement and scrolled down to the first question. She was interested to see this side of Kara, to see if she could be more open about her past while in her suit.

“Number one; and this is very important,” Lena added seriously and Kara straightened and looked at her intently. “Does pineapple belong on your pizza?”

Supergirl sagged a little and her huff turned into a soft laugh and she shook her head and her smile was fond as she looked at Lena.

“What?” Lena shrugged and hid her own smile, knowing Kara had probably thought this was going to be an invasive game of questions and not the fun one she intended. “It’s an important question.” And oddly enough, one that had never come up in conversation with Kara. But, then again, Kara tended to eat anything that wasn’t a green vegetable with the enthusiasm of a starving army.

“Absolutely pineapple belongs on a pizza!” Supergirl beamed and her entire face lit up and Lena swore she saw her blue eyes glaze over. “Everything goes on pizza!”

Lena shook her head slightly and let her features curl into a disgusted sneer. “Disgusting,” she said firmly and moved quickly onto the next question.

“Where in the U.S would you-“

“Hey!” Kara interrupted and there was a crinkle on her brow which Lena wanted to smoothen with her finger, and honestly, how had no-one figured out Kara and Supergirl were the same person? Anyone who know them both knew about that crinkle. “You didn’t answer the question!”

Lena curled her lip. “Pineapple belongs in a cocktail, sorbet, or by its self. It’s blasphemy to put it on a pizza.”

Kara placed her hand to her chest aghast. “Never!” She protested adamantly with wide eyes.

Lena fought the urge to poke out her tongue childishly, knowing it was something she was learning to feel more comfortable doing with Kara.

“Potato, potahto,” she said with her best snobbish accent, lifting her nose a little but not fighting the smile curling her lips. Kara beamed back at her and Lena ignored the way her heart tripped.

“Where in the U.S. would you never live?”

They continued with a few more questions before they got to the restaurant and the car glided to the curb before halting.

Supergirl peered out through the windows warily and glanced at Lena a few times. She could hear and see the paparazzi through the tinted windows and silently put her phone in her pocket and grabbed her purse.

“Shall we?”

Supergirl looked unsure, teeth working her lip and her fingers twisted the edge of her cape, on edge in a way that belonged more to Kara Danvers than to the cities caped protector.

“Are you sure?” Supergirl hedged and she peeked out the window again as cameras went off as though they were in a club with flashing lights.

“Do you trust me?” Lena asked abruptly, feeling her hearth thump in her chest at her nerve, but desperately wanting to know the answer.

Supergirl’s head spun around, blonde hair falling into her eyes before she flicked it back.

She was eyeing Lena with a conflicted expression. She was clearly surprised by the question and Lena could see her think it through and when she nodded her head slowly, once, in agreement, Lena didn’t fight her smile, even as her heart felt like it was doing cart-wheels.

“Then I’m sure,” Lena said strongly, quietly. “Trust me,” she asked, pleaded, and held Kara’s eyes, tying to convey to her that it was going to be okay.

Supergirl gave a little nod and in the small luxurious interior Lena watched Kara Danvers in a Supergirl suit transform into Supergirl. Gone were the tight lines around her eyes and the nervous worrying of her fingers. Gone was the hesitancy in her eyes and the slump to her shoulders. Supergirl was strong and proud and made of steel in the back of her Benz.

Lena felt her lips curl into a satisfied smile.

“After you.”

Supergirl took a barely audible breath and then opened the door. Instantly the sounds, which had been muffled by the massive reinforcement her car had undergone, intensified. People were screaming and shouting and cameras were shoved in their faces.

Supergirl held a hand out for Lena and she took it gratefully, thankful for Kara’s strength as she was guided through the throng of paparazzi and into the restaurant, where what seemed like an army of servers were blocking the door.

“Wow,” Kara blinked as they were inside and Lena glanced at her and thought she looked a little shell-shocked.

“Paparazzi are…. Unique individuals,” she said carefully, noticing the waiter at her side and knowing he would probably have something to say if she told Supergirl what she truly thought of paparazzi.

“Y-eah,” Supergirl took a shaky breath and glanced back at the door where the mob were still shouting questions and taking photos of them.

“How’d they find us out?” She asked. “Don’t you normally use a false name?”

Lena lifted her eyebrow pointedly as they were guided through the, packed to the brim, restaurant. Kara blushed a little and lifted her hand awkwardly, settling for running it through her hair rather than adjusting glasses that weren’t on her face. Only Kara Danvers and Jess knew she did that. Supergirl shouldn’t, or would have asked about it instead of assuming.

“Yes,” Lena said simply as she ignored the stares and muted whispered as she followed the waiter to the back of the restaurant and into a back room. It was a high-end restaurant and the cliental respected that. They were well-dressed with flashing wrists and ears and an air of superiority. It was very busy, but people had frozen in their seats to discreetly watch the two newcomers. Some had even carefully angled their phones in their direction.

Supergirl was finally looking around with recognition and Lena was waiting for her to comment on the location.

“Petit Jardin,” she said honestly, and a little eagerly. “I’ve heard good things.”

Lena had to turn to hide her smile, clearly Kara hadn’t looked further than the five-star rating it had, and she was waiting for the moment she realised that Petit Jardin was a vegetarian restaurant. Thankfully an elderly gentleman with a rounded belly and an easy smile took her attention.

“Miss Luthor!” He beamed in greeting and took a moment to take Lena’s hand and kiss her on the cheek, eyes flicking to Supergirl and back every few seconds. “Thank you for your phone-call,” he said happily and smoothened down his chef’s uniform. “We’re fully booked for the next week.”

Lena smiled at him and inclined her head. “Of course. Thank _you_ ,” she emphasised, “for your understanding.”

He nodded happily and then looked at Supergirl.

“Supergirl!” He boomed and Kara gave a little wave at him. “Nice to meet you!” He held out his hand for a shake and shook her hand enthusiastically. “Here at Petit Jardin we make the best vegetarian meals in the city!”

Lena had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing as the genuine smile on Kara’s lips faltered.

“Uh- vegetarian?” She clarified, voice rising into a little squeak at the end and Lena nearly drew blood with how hard she was trying not to laugh as Kara’s shoulders fell slightly.

The chef didn’t seem to notice and nodded happily, still shaking her hand enthusiastically. “Yes! I do hope you’ll come by another time! It’s on the House, of course!” He gave her hand a final shake before returning back to Lena and taking her hand once again. “Kev will see to you. Bye!”

He moved quickly for such a large man and soon he was gone, leaving them with the waiter, who hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Supergirl.

Lena turned her attention back to Supergirl, who was giving her best impression of a kicked puppy, complete with large watery eyes. She nearly lost her composure, but she was in company and her up-bringing wouldn’t allow it.

“Vegetarian?” Supergirl asked again, and Lena could see the betrayal in her eyes.

“You don’t mind, do you?” Lena asked innocently and the hero gapped and blinked and Lena let herself smile, smirk really, and turned to the waiter.

“We’re ready now.”

He gave a little nod. “This way,” he directed and began to move through the tables and towards the far wall where there was a door labelled ‘staff only.’

“Huh?” Supergirl’s question was mostly to herself as both Lena and Kev were already quite the distance away and she scurried to catch up.

Lena could feel Kara’s confusion as she followed them through the small gap in the wall and out past the kitchen. She could smell and hear the cooking and chef’s going about their jobs and as they walked past the entrance she could see the silver benches and a lot of green vegetables.

Kev went to a large door and keyed in a code to open it.

“Have a nice night,” he said politely and held the door open for them both.

“Thank you, Kevin,” Lena said and walked down the steps, opening her purse to find her key.

There was a motorcycle patiently waiting for them in the half shadows and a woman slowly pushed off the wall.

“Miss Luthor,” she greeted politely and handed a helmet over.

“Nicole,” Lena smiled at her driver’s wife. “Thank you for doing this.”

Nicole gave a little shrug and looked over Lena’s shoulder at the hero, who looked like she was finally figuring out what was going on. “Thank _you_ for dinner.”

“Have a nice night,” she called back to them as she walked the steps into the back of the restaurant and disappeared inside.

“You-“ Kara began and halted, pointing an accusing finger at her as Lena straddled her bike in a fluid movement.

She finally allowed herself to smirk. “What,” she said teasingly. “Did you think I’d feed you kale?”

Kara’s brow smoothened and she glanced back at the restaurant before grinning at Lena. “Oh,” she said and started to laugh. “You’re clever! You tricked them!”

Lena grinned and flicked her hair out of her face in preparation for her helmet.

“Did you really think I wanted to be bothered by those _vultures_ for the evening?”

Supergirl shook her head and then took a step towards her and went still, eyes widening and Lena felt herself tense under the stare.

“What?” She tilted her head curiously and felt her brow crease. Kara was looking at her…weirdly… “Is everything okay?”

“Yip!” Kara squeaked a little and quickly walked forward.

“You’ll have to sit behind me,” Lena said and was careful to keep her voice even. She didn’t want to let on just how much she would like that.

Kara went red as Lena turned the bike on and it rumbled beneath her. She considered for a moment, saying something suggestive to see if she could fluster Kara, but thought better of it. She had plans for Kara to be pressed against her, to have her arms around her, and didn’t want that plan to backfire.

“O-kay,” Kara approached a little more cautiously and as she straddled the bike behind Lena she felt her own breathing hitch and was careful to regulate her breathing. In and out, Luthor. In and out.

She could feel her warmth the moment Kara settled behind her and shifted instinctively into the heat behind her before straightening. She had a plan. She had to stick to it. She would stick to it.

“I didn’t know you rode.” Kara’s voice was a little strained in her air and she felt her skin break into goose-bumps at how the warm gust of air tickled her ear.

“Yes,” Lena said and couldn’t resist her next comment. “I like having power beneath me.” Kara gulped. It was relatively tame as to what she could have said, but she had been careful with her intonation and even Kara couldn’t have missed her insinuation.

She shifted her hair again and put her helmet on her head. Inside she could hear her blood beating in her ears and its sound was muffled, like the waves on the shore.

“It’s not a long drive,” she commented quietly, voice loud to her own ears, but knowing Kara wouldn’t have any trouble with it.

Kara’s had appeared between her arms and gave her the thumbs up and she smiled. It was time to get what she wanted. It was time for the Luthor to get the Super.

 

 

 

**Sneak Peak for my next fic:**

 

The rain was starting to ease up as they drove through the city and headed for the docks and it was then that they heard it. A howl. It echoed like thunder and fear dragged icy fingers down their napes, rising to attention the fine hairs on their body. It roared through the night, echoing and growling and growing like the rumble of Zeus’ rage.

“Shit,” voiced one of the men from behind a bandana and swallowed his fear. It caught in his throat on the way down, heavy and thick.

The thud of hooves accompanied a gap in the howling, the steady and purposeful clip and clop of shod hooves on stone.

Another one swore while they glanced to each other in fear. And then the rain _froze_. Each drop of it caught and suspended in time. It was something like a movie; lightning flashed and with it a silhouette was outlined; a horseman rearing against the sky with a weapon pointed to the moon.

“Go, go, go!” One of them shouted and wrenched the back door open, tumbling out into the night and colliding with the wet tarmac before stumbling to his feet and bolting. His companions were hot on his heels, dragging the bags with them regardless of what fell out of them and what gems they left behind. One stayed in the van, gun clutched tightly to him and peering out nervously into the night as his companions abandoned him.

The hooves started again and echoed around them like the applause in an amphitheatre and they scattered like ants in the rain as the actual rain fell back to the earth. It left little ripples in the already formed puddles and they gripped their guns tighter and peered through the rain.

Thunder rumbled and there was a crack and one of the men was dragged off his feet and pulled into the night.

Hearts thumping they called out to each other, wondering where the others were and then tried to run back to the relative safety of the van. They didn’t make it. One by one each of them was grabbed by something unseen and dragged into the night, fingers grasping at the concrete as though it could be their salvation.

The final thief, the one in the van with trembling fingers turning white on his firearm, was the youngest, and the most replaceable. He was along for the grunt work, to be disposed of later. It was fitting that he be the final one standing and he straightened, even as his blood froze, as a shadow emerged from the night.

The rain had halted again, forming a bubble in the air above them and he could see it colliding with an invisible shield and rolling down the sides of it like a dome. He lifted his head skyward in awe when he felt eyes on him.

Looking in front of him he flinched and tumbled back into the shelter of the van, colliding with the hard and cool metal floor. In front of him was the horseman.

The horse was an imposing beast, tall and round but strong, he could see its strength and confidence in the way it stood. It was black, as dark as the night around them, with lightning in its eyes- literally; it looked like it was made from the very storm thundering around them. Sparks danced on the tarmac with its foot falls and there were soft rumbles like thunder with each foot-step. The mane and tail were black and white, as though the very skies and stars had been caught in its hair and the rest of its body looked like it held the shape of the clouds in its form, even as it moved restlessly.

Gapping the thief lifted his eyes further and knew who he was meeting.

“Andraste,” he whispered in breathless awe and the woman slung herself off of her horses back. She landed gently on the tarmac and little splashes lifted from her boots. She lifted a gloved hand and the storm horse pressed its forehead into her palm before vanishing and the goddess herself was left before him.

~*~

‘…And in other news National City’s power couple Lena Luthor and wife Kara Luthor were spotted out at a restaurant. A source tells us they were holding hands and laughing and touching each other all night. The couple have been inseparable since their wedding earlier in the year and, according to sources, are still very much in love. Don’t we just love these two?’ Grace Lyod asked her co-star Blair Pierce and he nodded in agreement as a photo of Lena and Kara appeared on the screens behind them.

‘Absolutely! And speaking of love, frenemies Andraste and Supergirl were seen having words at National City’s Christmas Gala. According to our sources Andraste was, again, insulting Supergirl; everything from her hair to her costume choice, though our hero gave her own back until Andraste changed her own outfit…. As you can see Supergirl didn’t have much to say to that. And, really, neither can I. Grace?’ The image changed to a grainy photograph of Andraste’s outfit change. The woman was wearing a sheer black lace dress and her typical delicate mask while her dark hair fell wild down her shoulders. Her creamy skin was visible beneath the patterns and while revealing, it kept enough concealed to imply sexuality while leaving no doubt as to her sensuality. The runes curled around her lower body and kept her figure sharp and then laced their way across the top of her breasts. It was a head-turning look, and Supergirl was gapping at her in the image, while the smug curling to ruby lips was obvious.

‘Phew,’ Grace waved her hand at her face. ‘I’ll say! That woman is a Goddess, pun intended, and she knows it! I really, really need to know her workout routine!’

The two hosts laughed and then Grace faced the camera. ‘Coming up we have an interview with National City’s power couple to celebrate their one- year anniversary and we ask them how they keep the magic alive.’

‘That’s right! Kara tells us how she romances her wife. So don’t go anywhere. We’ll be right back after the break!.’ The images behind them changed to a photo of Lena and Kara with their foreheads pressed to each other and gentle, peaceful smiles on their lips. It panned backwards to show they were both in white, Kara in suit and Lena a dress, standing on a beach in the sunset. Written in delicate font were the words, ‘ _Zehdh_ : _Some kind of love._ ’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for my absence, regular readers. I've been out of country and the internet in China was... a challenge. Much like the country itself :D But, I did start another fic. Yes, I know. Naughty me. But I plan to (hopefully) finish this fic first, then (maybe) El Mayarah, and then Mercy. Mercy isn't wanting to write itself right now. I'm in a too-good of a place for the angst I was planning :D So fluff instead. Mwah!


	11. Chapter Eleven

Kara fought down her confusion as they pulled up outside of an unfamiliar pub/bar with a closed sign dangling in the window, even as the night was young and likely ideal for customers.

It had large glass windows at the front and bar stools around a tall bench. There were blank televisions that she could see through the windows and the bar looked abandoned without any patrons. It was eerie. One of the signs advertising the bar showed a great drawing of a burger and fries and a large drink in chalk and read ‘world famous’ along the wood.

Lena turned the engine off and balanced the bike before kicking the stand down and Kara reluctantly pushed away from the welcoming warmth of Lena’s body and off the bike.

Cars lined the streets on both sides and amber light guided customers up and down the street. Music from a bar they had passed by earlier was dragged to her ears by the passing cars and she watched as Lena dismounted and removed her helmet.

The movement shouldn’t have been as….alluring… as it was, but by Rao it was. Lena was actually a good rider, something she wouldn’t have guessed, and she wondered when and where Lena had learnt how. She couldn’t picture Lillian teaching her daughter how to ride a bike let alone a motorbike. Maybe Lionel had. Or one of the Luthor staff. The thought made her frown. Lena should have been taught all of those earth things by people who cared about her and genuinely wanted to teach her.

“It’s closed,” she commented as they stepped up to the doors, feeling her brows tightening as she could hear people inside.

“What an astute observation,” Lena remarked dryly as she opened the door and let herself in, much to Kara’s surprise. Feeling on the back foot, like she somehow ending up feeling when she was around Lena, she scurried in after her, letting the door close gently behind her.

There was a man at the bar with a cloth polishing some glasses while another man in a worn but clean apron was sipping from a brown bottle. They both looked up and froze at seeing who had entered the bar.

“Gentlemen,” Lena said politely as she approached them and offered her hand across the bar. “Lena Luthor,” she smiled as she introduced herself. “You spoke with my assistant over the phone?”

One of the men let out a slight squeak but the other cleared his throat and pushed off the bar, shaking Lena’s hand firmly.

“Miss Luthor. Brad Walsh,” he jerked his hand to the man still frozen with his eyes on Kara. “Bill Johns.” Kara kept her eyes on both men carefully, waiting for one or both of them to react negatively to Lena’s last name and was pleased when they didn’t. If anything the seemed in awe of the women in front of them, and Kara herself.

Lena glanced at Kara a moment and then looked back at the two men. “We heard your burgers were famous,” she smiled sweetly. “We’d love to try one.”

Kara blinked as she walked up behind Lena and offered the men a little wave. Lena had taken her to a bar for their date, a date where she would likely be able to eat her full and not be judged for it. A wave of affection for Lena rose in her like a rogue wave, and she wanted to pick her up and hug her in thanks.

“Well, she would,” Lena let amusement colour her tone and inclined her head in Kara’s direction. “I’ll just have your House Club, thank you.”

“Of-course,” Brad said and placed his hand-towel on the bar. “Would you ladies like anything to drink?”

Kara was able to hear his murmured instruction to Bill but doubted Lena did. “Start cooking.”

Lena glanced over the drinks in the refrigerators and then over the bottles above the bar. “I’ll have a…” she perused the range a moment before giving a small, decisive nod. “Lemon, lime bitters thank you.”

Her green-eyed gaze turned to Kara, so did Brad’s, and she barely gave it a moments thought. “I’ll have the same.” She hesitated and then added. “Maybe in a pitcher?”

Brad glanced at Lena and then nodded to them both. “Sure thing. Sit where-ever. I’ll bring you your drink in a sec.”

“Thank you,” Lena smiled and Kara could hear the way Brad’s heart tripped over itself and smirked to herself as she appraised the bar and looked for a place to sit. They could take one of the empty booths or go with a chair and table.

“Pool?” Lena enquired quietly and Kara turned to her and raised a brow.

“Lena Luthor’s got game?” She enquired with an incredulous lift to her voice and Lena smirked. Honest to Rao _smirked_. And it set phantom flames licking at her insides for some reason.

“Is that a challenge?” She enquired silkily and Kara blinked at her blankly for a moment.

That was Lena’s pre-victory tone, the one she used when she had sprung a trap and her unsuspecting board-members had walked straight into it.

“No?” She hedged, fighting the urge to fidget with the fabric of her suit that kept her sleeves at her wrists and Lena’s smile let her know that she had caught how Kara’s voice had risen in question.

“I’d normally make a drinking game of it,” Lena commented as she turned back to the bar and asked for the white ball. Normally bars liked to charge their patrons a bond for the use of their pool tables, it meant that the customers were more inclined to return the pool balls, and less likely to damage anything. But Brad didn’t ask for a bond, probably figuring that as Lena had hired out the bar for the evening she could afford it, and would probably be offended by the request (having clearly enough money to buy the bar several times over) just handed her the pool-ball after adding lemonade to the pitcher.

“Thank you,” she smiled at him and then walked back to the pool table, placing her helmet on one of the tables as she went.

“A wager then, Supergirl?” Lena enquired as she went about setting the table up while Kara watched.

“On?” She enquired hesitantly as she approached the table and watched as Lena walked over to the rack and picked a pool-stick.

“Mh,” Lena hummed. “I win and you answer a question for me.” Kara felt her blood freeze in her veins, which was impossible. Her Kryptonian biology meant that her body could never technically freeze while on earth, but that was the only explanation for the way her entire being roared to a halt.

“You win and you get the same,” Lena continued as she rolled chalk onto the end of her Que. “What do you say?”

“What question?” Kara asked immediately, Alex’s voice, and J’onn’s, in her ear telling her to be careful. Not because Lena was a Luthor, or at least not entirely, but because she was after something.

Lena gave a little laugh and shook her hair out. “Nothing about your identity, or anything I could use to figure _that_ out,” Lena said and something of her tone made Kara narrow her eyes and fold her arms.

Lena’s eyes caught and watched the movement while Kara thought it through. She was actually an okay pool player, something that few people knew. She was able to calculate the precise angle and pressure the ball needed to be hit in order to guide it gently into the hole. Still. If Lena was willing to wager on it, and she clearly was by how she’d lifted her eyes from Kara’s arms and focused on her face instead, then she must have been confident about her own skills. But at the same time…. It almost sounded like Lena knew who she was, which was, well, not impossible, but her disguise was excellent. Either way, Lena was daring her, and Kara, looking at that confident and sexy, and she wasn’t someone who found other people sexy, smirk couldn’t say no.

“All right,” she agreed slowly and was rewarded with Lena’s eyes lighting up.

“Excellent,” her lips curled around the word and Kara gulped. “I already know what I want to ask you.”

Feeling that maybe this was a bad idea Kara let Lena’s pleased smile pull her forward and she eyed the pool-sticks before deciding the one Lena was using would be best.

“I’ll use that one,” she gave a little smile. “Unless that’s a problem?”

Lena’s eyes narrowed and she glanced from her tool of choice and back to Kara before moistening her lips. And Kara did not focus on that at all.

“Of course,” Lena ducked her head and offered her the pool-que first. “I’d hate to have you at a disadvantage.”

Kara’s eyes narrowed and she felt her inner competitor rising at the completion presented. “We’ll see.”

And Lena did. She lost. Just. And upon reflection Kara would wonder if she hadn’t planned it that way. It was five out of seven games, by the time the night was over, and they had been winning every second game each. It was almost suspicious at how Lena would ace one game and then _just_ miss out on the next one. But at the time Kara was only focused on the thrill of her wins, the grace and continued challenge in Lena’s eyes when she lost up moved on to the next game.

They paused at three- all to eat, and Kara almost groaned at the sight of the burger and fries that came out for her. The bun was about two inches on each side and was full to the brim with bacon, tomato, lettuce, egg, angus beef patty, cheese, beetroot, gherkins, carrot, pineapple, and mayo. There was what seemed like an entire fryer of potato chips on the side and a large bowl of ketchup and one of aioli.

It took up half of the booth’s table, and Lena’s club sandwich and fries seemed dwarfed in comparison.

Kara might have moaned at the smell of it and was guided to her seat opposite Lena like a puppet on a string.

Lena giggled. Actually giggled as she used her fingers-fingers! Not a fork!- to pick a fry and dip it into ketchup. Kara absolutely did not pay any attention to the fry as it made its way to Lena’s mouth and vanished between her lips. “It doesn’t make the Guinness World Records,” she said slowly after chewing and sighing happily. “But it is the biggest burger in the state,” she smiled at Kara softly. “And it _should_ feed you.”

Kara felt something swoop in her belly and rise until it filled her chest with a fluttery feeling, making her feel weightless and grounded at the same time. Lena had actually given their date some thought, and had researched it. She knew that Supergirl had to eat a lot of food to maintain her body’s demands and had planned a date accordingly. She had made sure the food would sustain her, and had made sure where they were dining would be private and somewhere she could feel comfortable.

“Lena,” Kara cleared her voice as it came out deeper and raspier than usual but Lena just gave her a soft smile, one she liked to think Lena reserved solely for Kara. It was soft and gentle. Fond. Part of her hated that Lena looked at other people like that- that smile was for Kara, but another part of her was ecstatic to have it directed at her, even if it was offered to Supergirl.

“Mind if I take a pic? I won’t post it until we’re heading to our next destination.”

Kara blinked and then nodded, tilting the plate so that it faced Lena’s camera and then smiled for the camera.

Lena took a quick photo and then placed her phone on the table as she glanced over to Kara, who had turned her attention back to the mammoth meal in front of her and was deciding which end to start from. Maybe if she cut it down the middle and then across? It should be manageable in quarters, even if each quarter was about the size of her head.

“Has the DEO ensured social media’s facial recognition software doesn’t pick up on Supergirl’s face?” And Kara froze with quarter of the burger nearly covering her entire face and she had to lower it in order to properly see Lena.

She had delicately taken a quarter of her club sandwich between her fingers and was turning it so she could bite into the edge.

“Um,” Kara swallowed, and her eyes darted to the cell-phone on the table as the screen saver went black.

“I have wondered,” Lena commented before taking a dainty bite and her heart-beat was rhythmic and steady so Kara slowly loosened her muscles.

“Um. I don’t actually know?” She replied and then gave it some thought. It did make sense. You couldn’t have people see photos of Kara Danvers and then one of Supergirl and have social media want to tag either or as the other one. That would just be sloppy. “I mean… the team takes care of the paper-work I just-“

“Punch things?” Lena enquired dryly as she finished her bite, eyebrow lift punctuating the question with ease.

Kara shrugged a little. “Well, yeah?”

Lena hummed and went back to her club sandwich and Kara decided to finally tackle her burger before it got cold.

She had to squeeze it down in order to get her mouth around it, and even then it was a challenge and she had a feeling her jaw would be sore by the end of it-but she was also certain it would be worth it.

They made small talk, or Lena did mostly, as Kara was very busy with her burger, and may have used Super speed in order to devour the first three-quarters of it. And then she started to truly feel the ridiculous amount of food she was inhaling.

Lena sipped at her drink and wiped her hands on her napkin when she finished, seemingly content to just watch Kara decide which end of the burger she should tackle next.

“Do you need some help?” She asked innocently and Kara glared at her, half slumped in the booth as she was.

“No,” she answered shortly, aware that she probably looked like a pouting child and Lena’s gentle laughter fought against her offence and she gave her a wry smile.

“I’m just… deciding which fry I should eat next,” she defended and Lena nodded.

“Sure you are,” the laughter was there, but she didn’t say anything further as Kara took advantage of her biological advantage to speed through the rest of the burger-leaving only about one and a half kilos of thick-cut steak fries left.

“Easy,” Kara said and patted her belly fondly and wondering if she looked stupid with a food baby in her suit. The fabric was straining, considerably, and she sort of mourned the loss of her abs, having noticed Lena’s eyes linger on them (more than once) as they played pool.

“Mh,” Lena hummed and took another long draw of her drink and Kara didn’t watch as her lips curled around the straw and release it with a pop.

“Well if you are admitting defeat,” Lena began and Kara shot up in the booth.

“No!” She yelped and heard the low conversation between Brad and Bill pause as they looked to see what was going on. The two men had been very good. They didn’t comment on either women and had decided not to mention any of this visit to anyone until the two had left and Kara had overheard something about, ‘that secretary said she’d disembowel me with my own kitchen knife,’ if they leaked anything before Lena and Kara could leave. They maintained a professional, polite distance and didn’t say anything to either women, but Kara had heard them wondering about the two of them.

“I will finish this!” She vowed strongly, trying to replicate her ‘hero’ pose in the booth and failing spectacularly.

Lena glanced at the time on her phone before nodding and looking up at Kara through her lashes.

“You have fifteen minutes if you don’t want me to break the law on the way to our next destination.”

Kara picked up her fork again and held it over a fry before looking over at Lena. “Do you speed often?” She asked suspiciously and Lena let out a little laugh. It wasn’t something that had come up with Kara, as wherever they went they walked or took Lena’s car. She hadn’t actually known Lena could drive until she’d seen her get on the motor-bike, and then she had been very distracted by the warm body under her hands and the strength in it as she navigated the roads of the city.

“Only when I know I won’t get caught,” Lena offered and then winked at her. Kara very nearly choked on her fry and had to scull the rest of the pitcher of bitters in order to help it down.

Lena politely didn’t say anything but her eyes were sparkling, glinting like emeralds and she was caught by how Lena’s eyes never seemed to stay one colour. It was like when she first met her- Lena’s long dark hair was down and didn’t look flat or like she had straightened it. It looked like she had woken up like that. And her lips had been that pretty dark pink and her eyes, her eyes had been defiant as she challenged Clark- a green to them that had, at the time, reminded her of Kryptonite. But that was before she had learnt who Lena was in the inside, the beautiful, kind and gentle soul that only wanted to save people, to help change the world and make it better.

Then there was the icy steel her eyes could change into with the swiftness of a winter storm and capturing the frigidity and terror of winter. Sometimes her eyes were glassy, a pale moon reflecting a forest, miles and miles of hurt- like when Jack had died, or when she put her mother behind bars. Other times still they were a mixture of gold and grey and light green, and then other times they were blue, the shimmering surface of the ocean. Now Lena’s eyes reminded her of the green of earth, so lush and full of life. And that’s what Lena was to her, life. The irony of it wasn’t lost on her, a Luthor being the source of life for a Super, but that was how it was, even if she didn’t even know it.

“Have you ever?” Kara asked as she speared a fry and brought it to her lips.

Lena’s hair, long and dark and looking so soft in the light, swayed as she tilted her head to the side in thought.

“No,” she said slowly and then her lips twitched as she leant forward, voice lowering and inviting Kara to match her. “Let me tell you a secret,” she said and her eyes were a dark green now, drawing her in and freezing her in place. “I have the police frequency software in my gps system, as well as the updated speed cameras and current location of ever NCPD cruiser, undercover and marked.”

Kara blinked and her eyes narrowed and she speared a few more fry’s as she gave it some thought. Lena was basically admitting to breaking the law in front of Supergirl- the face of justice of National City. She should probably say something.

“I haven’t been caught yet,” Lena leant back and her body twisted as though she had folded her leg across her other one, and her gaze was measured and steady.

“Don’t get caught,” Kara said eventually, knowing that Lena wouldn’t appreciate her warning her to obey the law, but not unable to say nothing.

Lena rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Well,” she said and there was a hint of…something… to her tone that snared Kara’s attention and kept it as she leant back against the boot seat and toyed with her hair. “That is a surprise. National City’s golden girl approving of my breaking the rules.”

Kara chewed her way through a few more fries before pointing her fork at the smirking Luthor. “I’m just telling you not to get caught- I can’t make you obey the rules.”

Lena huffed a sigh and glanced skywards a moment. “Pity,” she murmured to herself, and if Kara didn’t know that Lena knew the scope of her powers and knew she heard every word, she would have been startled and flustered by Lena’s following comment. As it was she was surprised, shocked so much she was thankful she had just swallowed her final bite of chips and also very, very uncomfortable at the thought and imagery the words evoked. “There goes my bad-Luthor good-Super fantasy.”

Lena waited a moment before lowering her gaze and fixing Kara with a smirk as her stomach curled and churned and flipped weirdly.

“Come on,” she said a moments later, as though she hadn’t just implied… well, what she had implied! Her tone was not friendly! It was…. Full of, stuff! Sex-related sort of things! Things involving Kara and Lena!

She reached for the rest of her glass and downed it in one go, eager to add moisture to her mouth.

Lena’s quiet chuckle told her she knew exactly what she was doing as she thanked the bar-men and retrieved her belongings.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” she said sweetly as she picked up her helmet and glanced at her phone.

Kara nodded eagerly as she came up beside Lena. “Yeah!” She didn’t stand too close, she didn’t think it was a good idea especially with the way her body seemed to be acutely aware of Lena; of her body heat, her scent, the way the air about her moved as she shifted in place, the way her blood pumped through her veins. Every thing she was doing Kara was aware of.

“It was ah-maze-ing,” Kara emphasised and folded her arms, certain if she placed her hands on her hips she’d be showing off her rather large food-baby and not wanting to draw attention to her appetite. “Thank you!”

The barmen smiled and waved them out, and she could hear them commenting that no they could finally tell the world that Supergirl and Lena Luthor had had their date at their bar.

Lena was straddling her bike and tapping away at her phone while Kara got her bearings and the breeze felt wonderful on her heated body, and had nothing to with the thought of being pressed against Lena again, and was all to do with her very comfortable food-baby.

Lena tapped away a few more times, and she could hear her hum of happiness before she put her phone away and did up her helmet.

“Ready?” She enquired and kicked the stand up and turned the bike on. It rumbled under her and she rolled it backwards and then waited in the street for Kara to make up her mind.

The hero paused, running her eyes over Lena and the bike, seeing the challenge in Lena’s through the open visor and nodded.

She moved smoothly over the pavement and Lena scotched forward a little on the seat to allow her space to sit. Almost unbidden her body pressed close to Lena’s, craving her warmth as though she could actually feel the cold.

Lena made a soft sound at the back of her throat when Kara’s arms went around her, and her head lowered and something in Kara fired at the sound.

That something made her brave and she turned her mouth to where Lena’s ear was, “Don’t break the law, Miss Luthor,” she said calmly and clearly and tightened her grip on Lena pointedly. Her own heart was hammering at her nerve, knowing how Lena would take her words, or would twist them, and she was eager to see how Lena would react. If the attraction Lena had to Supergirl was real, and Kara was starting to feel as though it was, by how her eyes had lingered on Kara while she had eaten, then her body would give her away.

Lena’s breath hitched and her exhale was a shaky laugh and she patted the arms around her fondly, not asking her to move them, but not increasing their pressure so Kara took that as a win. She felt light and fluttery and warm and something in her chest was twirling.

If Lena was attracted to Supergirl, then surely some of that attraction could be converted to Kara, and maybe, just maybe, Lena would kindle some attraction for Kara Danvers. Supergirl was great, brilliant even, but Kara wanted more from life than to be put on a pedestal and worshiped and admired from affair, she wanted something real. She wanted to go home to someone, to cuddle up with them and grow with them. She wanted to be with them, and Supergirl couldn’t be with anyone. Her heart and life was already taken up by the citizens of National City. Kara Danvers though, Kara Danvers was everything that Supergirl could never be. Human. Able of fitting in and having a human life. And Kara wanted that, as much as she wanted to be Supergirl. She needed them both to be her; Kara Zor-El Danvers.

“Why?” Lena asked, and Kara could feel the hum of Lena’s heart through her jacket and ached to press closer to it. She continued in an almost breathless whisper. “Do you have cuffs hidden somewhere in that suit of yours?”

Kara choked on her own spit and Lena dropped the sultry tone in favour of laughter muffled by her visor but Kara could feel the tremors rolling through her body.

Lena shoulder-checked and then eased them out into the traffic, accelerating strongly and dipping and weaving through the traffic, at a pace that was probably a bit faster than the speed-limit.

“Speed!” Kara shouted warningly, but Lena just laughed again.

“Are you going to arrest me, Supergirl?” She demanded under her breath when they came to a light and some warm and hot and…primal… was roaring through Kara’s veins. The blatant flirting was something new, and obvious. Kara was easily able to pick up on it, but it may have had something to do with how unsubtle Lena was being. She didn’t want to move her hands; didn’t want to draw attention to them in case she should move them, but also in case Lena was maybe okay with it- it being where Kara had now placed her hands. Low on Lena’s hips, somehow more intimate than if she had wrapped her arms around Lena’s waist.

Kara didn’t respond, too concerned with the phantom flames licking at her insides and the pressure churning and firing below her stomach.

Lena gunned it away from the lights, the powerful bike jumping to obey Lena’s commands with ease and they almost flew through the streets.

Kara pressed her head into Lena’s back, able to smell the sweet scent of her shampoo and feel her warmth with each inhale as it curled in her chest and was pumped through her own body.

The wind whipped at their bodies as Lena took them out and up and the stars were peaking on the horizon and sprawling out into the sky. It took Kara longer than she expected to realise where they were going; it had nothing to do with the fact she had her eyes closed and was pressing her face into Lena’s back and listening to the steady thump of her heart beat. Nothing at all. She just hadn’t gone out this way by car. Usually she flew.

Ahead of them National City observatory rose like a sentential over the city, one of the highest points to the sky that there could be, and Kara’s heart tried to throw itself from her body at what Lena could have possibly organised for her.

The drive was smooth and the lights from the observatory guided them upwards as though it were a lighthouse, shining through the dark. And it was a good allusion to the woman in front of her. A lighthouse, a guiding warmth and light in the darkness, a way home. Lena was her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sick; can you tell? It's why I've written so much :D But I am hopefully on the mend, so less updates when I have to go back to work :p


	12. Chapter Twelve

_Be cool, Luthor. Be cool_. Lena chanted to herself as she led Kara up the stairs and into the observatory. Jess had arranged for the entire building to be booked for the night, and while the director had been unwilling to co-operate, a sizable donation in ‘thanks’ went quite a way in persuading her otherwise. Money had a way of opening doors, and Lena was not above using it to get what she wanted.

The observatory was fairly new, actually, only a few years old and this location had been chosen especially for it. It reminded her of something out of a sci-fi fantasy film, maybe something like Star Wars. The great round dome and the turret canon, only in this case it was a telescope.

She snorted to herself as they went inside and Kara followed her quickly, pressing close to her but not close enough. It was an unfair paradox. So close but so far away.

To her surprise Kara, or Supergirl rather, had been very receptive to her flirting, and so she had dropped all pretences of subtly and flirted with Kara openly. Supergirl and Kara had many differences, but one of their striking similarities was their reactions to flirting. When Lena flirted with Kara, yes she had not been so open about it, but each time Kara blushed and stammered and shifted and would glance up at Lena from under her lashes, shy but also bold. It reminded her of a lion cub, brave and daring as it stalked a leaf but then scuttling back to safety when a gust of wind startled them. Flirting with Supergirl was like that. She was receptive at first, more open to the concept of adoration, but when it became obvious the person felt more for her than lust or admiration, she turned shy and unsure.

Lena knew that Kara was painfully unfamiliar with this side of relationships, with relationships in general, and it wasn’t as though Lena was like Taylor Swift-which, good on her, have fun while you are young and do as you will- but her dating history wasn’t all that exciting. There had been Jack, her first and last love, and then there had been a few one-night stands-featuring women- after news of Lex had broke, and she had foolishly tried to drown her feelings in alcohol. There hadn’t been anyone in years, and it was why she had been so startled by her platonic-turned-not feelings for Kara.

At first she had ignored her own actions in relation to Kara, telling herself, and others, that it was because she was touched starved and frankly, starved of affection. It had been years since someone had cared for her, and when Kara had willingly showered her with unconditional affection she had bloomed under it, a flower under the sun. Of course it made sense that the woman who had continued to stand up for her and protect her and save her and befriend her was actually not human at all. She had gone home and drunk herself silly on a bottle of ‘victory-whiskey’ Lex had brought her after her first million dollar earnings. She’d then cried herself to sleep and had then woken up with a killer hang-over and a pros and cons list, in her lipstick, on her mirror telling her hungover self that she would still stand with Kara and would wait for the Superhero to tell her, if she ever did. Drunk her had been very specific about it and Lena had rolled her eyes at herself, and had then almost fallen over when she removed the marks from her body-length mirror before someone else could see.

So she told herself that how she was feeling about Kara was just friendly, and she was over-compensating because she didn’t want to be left alone. She didn’t want Kara to dangle that safety in front of her and rip it away when she realised what a storm she was getting into by being Lena’s friend. Only Kara had stayed. Kara had become her fiercest defender, her own hero. And then Lena, being the useless lesbian that Jess liked to murmur about her as she walked away, brought out three stores of their flowers in thanks.

But honestly, what had surprised her the most had been Jess’ anger when Lena had bid on Supergirl. From a PR stand-point it was gold, but on a personal one it was not. Jess had addressed her sharply for days afterwards, dropping hints about Kara Danvers this and Kara Danvers that, as though she were a cheating girlfriend. Jess was surprisingly pro-Kara Danvers- for a reporter anyway. It took a moment of her considerable intellect to the task but she soon realised that Jess, being her ever unflappable and capable assistant, had figured out Lena’s infatuation with Kara had supported it wholeheartedly. Which, had been a revelation. Jess approved of Kara and was going out of her way to ensure that no flying vigilante with a cape got between her and Lena. Jess needed a bonus.

Of course while dropping increasingly unsubtle hints about ‘perhaps Kara will drop by for lunch today’ and ‘I haven’t seen Miss Danvers in a while, is she well?’ and ‘don’t you think it odd that Kara hasn’t said anything about your…get-together with Supergirl? I thought you were friends’ Jess was not aware that they were one and the same. It needed to stay that way.

But Jess had been _thrilled_ to learn that Kara had to replace Cat as Lena’s date and had been positively smug about the entire ordeal but she hadn’t been as ecstatic to organise the date Lena had planned for Supergirl. But she was a professional and had come through admirably, as she should.

As Lena flicked on the lights, Jess having arranged her an electronic key for the entire building, even the restricted areas, she decided that her assistant defiantly needed a raise.

Left in the centre of the room was a picnic basket and Lena shook her head fondly as she walked forward and picked it up.

It wasn’t very heavy; a bottle of wine, she knew, and anything else Jess had seen fit to add to the basket.

Kara bounced along behind her, eyes wide and focused on the basket, probably already trying to see into it. Lena had a feeling Kara knew what she was about to see.

It had been a matter of intense internal contestation for the youngest Luthor, what she do after her dinner with Kara, and with help from Lex’s notes and even a sneaky hack of the DEO, she had confirmed the location of Krypton. Or at least, where it had been. According to the astrologer that helped her find it, the light of Rao still shone, and Lena wanted to give this gift to Kara.

The telescope was one of the biggest and best in the world, easily capable of traversing the distance between the two planets. She wasn’t sure if Kara had seen it since her landing on earth, maybe Clark had the technology to let her see back to her planet, but she wasn’t sure. Kara had never mentioned it.

She didn’t know if this gift was even a gift; how could it be when it was dangling Kara’s lost world in front of her eyes? But Lena remembered her mother’s face, just. And when she was young and strained alone in the dark to imprint it in her memory and how she had ached to see it again, for real, just once. To see what her mother had looked like, even as the edges of her face turned blurry and she forgot everything, except her mother’s dark hair. It may hurt Kara, in fact it probably would, but she wanted Kara to have the option of seeing it once again, of seeing her home. She could choose not to look, if she wanted.

“So,” Kara broke their silence and tilted her head in a frankly _adorable_ move. “The observatory?” Her voice rose in question and then she frowned a little and Lena waited for her to speak, far too comfortable with watching Kara to need to talk.

“What are you gonna show me? Did they find a new planet or something?”

“Mh,” Lena hummed and took a moment to gather her bearings and then led them down a corridor. “I’m sure if they have you’d be more familiar with it than any human can be.” Sometimes Kara’s humility came as a surprise. She was stronger than any human on earth, and the depth of her intelligence was surely centuries ahead of the brightest earth had to offer. But maybe it was ingrained in her, the need to be ordinary, that she had started to think that she was. Supergirl was different, Kara knew Supergirl was special. The world had been telling her that her cousin was special since the moment she had arrived, and that adoration and awe spread to her, when she announced her presence.

But Kara, Kara had hidden. Hidden so well that a pony-tail and a pair of glasses managed to fool the world. She hid her intelligence, history, education, knowledge, loss, biology, and most importantly, she hid her pain. An entire planet and cultures worth of pain. And Lena understood that, not on that magnitude of course, but she did understand. Understand forcing a smile when all she wanted to do was fall apart inside and roar and scream and shatter and pound against the walls of the prison her life had led her to. She understood pretending everything was fine when everything was falling apart. It was one of the things that made it easy for to be able to see it with Kara. She was able to recognise someone who was screaming on the inside. It was a look she saw in the mirror every morning.

Kara gave a little shrug but glanced at Lena from the corner of her eyes as Lena led them into the final room.

It was the viewing room; circular and with a domed roof and with the great telescope already peeking out the gap and towards the stars. Oddly enough the panels around the room were flat and pressed close to each other, rather than just being left as most metal skeletons were. The telescope was set to the front and centre of the room. It was not the most attractive of machines. A large cylinder set on a moving arm, it certainly reminded her of a Star Wars gun. There was a control panel in front of it, next to a large monitor, and Lena set her basket down and slid the electronic key-card in the access port. The key-in identification was the GPS coordinates of the observatory- a little inside joke between the staff.

It had already been keyed to the location and Lena hesitated over the button before turning to Kara, who she could feel was burning to ask a question.

“I-“ she hesitated when words failed her, and words never failed her. “Have you seen Krypton since you arrived?” She tried again, hesitant and unsure of how her words would be received.

Kara’s eyes widened and she could see that Kara had no idea of why she had been brought to the observatory.

Her eyes darted around the room, glancing at Lena, the telescope, the blank and silent walls, and then back to Lena. She moistened her lips nervously and shook her head; a short, sharp movement.

“N-no, I-“ she hesitated and her voice was shaky and her hands were moving, curling and releasing pointedly and they lifted to her forearms as though she wanted to hug herself but didn’t want to show weakness. “I…haven’t.” Those words were weighted. Heavy. Lena heard the formation and destruction of worlds in those two words, the loss and pain and the _loneliness_.

Lena clasped her hands together, least she wring her fingers together in a habit Lillian had long cured her of. “I-,“ she placed her palm on the control panel. “When you turn this on… I think it is Krypton...” she trailed off as a smothered sound escaped Kara’s lips and her head snapped up. She went deathly still and Lena felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise to attention.

Kara’s wide blue eyes were staring at the control panel as though she could see through time and space to her home, to Krypton.

There was silence for a long while and Lena fought the urge to fidget.

“I’ll go wait-“

“No!” Kara’s voice was sharp and fierce as it interrupted her and she flinched a little at the sound. Supergirl immediately looked apologetic, but then her gaze was back on the control panel. “No, she repeated softly, obviously far away.

Lena waited a moment before reaching for the panel, Kara’s wide, bright eyes followed her as she slowly turned it on.

Almost immediately the panels around the room flickered to life, a thousand small screens set into the metal walls and all showing the one image.

Krypton was beautiful- pre explosion of course (and Lena wondered idly if she would ever live to see the light go out). It was set against a great red star and the halo of it lit the planet.

Kara let out a cry and crumbled to her knees and Lena didn’t remember telling her body to move as she sank to her knees next to her and wrapped an arm around her.

Kara’s heart-wrenching sobs echoed in the room and she cried and cried as the image of Krypton watched them with a thousand eyes, mocking the Kryptonian’s pain. Lena held her through it, not sure what she was murmuring to her, but trying to provide comfort in the only way she knew how. Films and television had shown her how to provide comfort, but the only person who had ever given her true comfort was the woman breaking in her arms. It was fittingly ironic.

She couldn’t count the time she held Kara, it seemed suspended. Every time she thought Kara was finished she would look around her at the image of Krypton on the walls and then fall apart again. Lena held her through it. Held her until her knees ached with the pressure of holding her, until her arm shook with how long she’d held it across Kara’s shoulders, until Kara had cried a wet patch into her clothes. She still looked like a Goddess, which was not fair. Lena’s own tears of sympathy, which she would adamantly deny, had left her looking like a raccoon and she would have to fix her make-up before they left the facility. She did have a public reputation, unfortunately.

Eventually it seemed as though Kara had wept the pain from her body, leaving her empty but also lighter. Lena knew the feeling, even if it meant she was exhausted afterwards. They were wrapped around each other, Kara pressed into Lena’s shoulder and Lena on her ass, slowly going numb thank you very much, and with Kara almost on her lap, with both arms holding her.

“Supergirl.” Her voice cracked a little with how much she had been speaking, humming? To the hero while she released her agony.

“Do you want to sit up?” She asked after clearing her throat and Kara took a moment, leaning against her and Lena could feel how damp her shirt was from tears but ignored it.

Then Kara seemed to realise her position and leapt to her feet, breaking out of Lena’s arms with the gangly grace of a new born foal-all wobbly limbs.

Lena reared up and then cursed as her body protested; her legs were dead having sat for so long on the cold floor.

Kara took a step to her in concern, hand stretched forward, and then she seemed to realise her previous moment (hour?) of vulnerability and hesitated, her open palm turning into claws that curled in on themselves.

“Miss Luthor?”

Lena fought down the clench in her chest at the formal address.

“Lena, please,” she said and felt like a fool stuck on the ground, but her left leg was a dead weight and she’d rather remain seated until she was certain she could stand, and walk, without looking like a drunk. “I thought we’d come that far.”

The crinkle between Kara’s eyes deepened and her expression was that of a child, a child in a Super-suit, but of a child who’d just been caught drawing on the walls.

“Leeena,” Kara tried and her hands were curled into fists.

Lena looked up at her sadly and pressed her lips together. “I didn’t mean to make you upset. I’m sorry.” Her throat didn’t want the words to leave her, but she forced them out. She hated being the reason for Kara’s pain, hated not being able to fix it.

“I woul- if you need to go you can go,” Lena said as she shifted her leg under her, trying to force the limb to move, for the blood to pump through her body.

She could see the hesitation on Kara’s face as she tilted it in thought. The crinkle was still there and she ached to banish it.

“Do you-“ Kara hesitated red rimmed eyes focused on Lena and she was sure she looked a mess, but didn’t want to hide her vulnerability as Kara-as Supergirl- had literally had a melt-down in her arms not minutes earlier.

“Do you want me to leave?” There was a question there, but all Lena heard was the shadow of a girl who had been forced into a metal sardine-can and sent to another world while her own become a memory- hers to bear alone.

“No,” Lena shook her head slightly. “Not if you don’t want to. I did,” she added with a shaky laugh and ran her fingers through her hair, “have something else planned but-“

“Then we can do that,” Kara said softly and Lena took a moment to make sure she was certain before nodding.

“Okay,” she said simply and finally rose to her feet. Her leg was still stiff and uncooperative, but she was certain it wouldn’t give way under her.

Kara was again glancing around the walls at the image of Krypton on them and Lena watched her a moment.

The only tell of her having balled her eyes out was the slight redness to them, otherwise she still looked as flawless as usual and Lena inwardly cursed her perfection. Of course she ended up looking like the druggie on her small maybe-not official- date with the girl she likes. Life wasn’t fair. But she was used to that.

Kara had her arms limply at her sides, fingers curled softly as she slowly let her gaze rove over the image. Her breathing was even now that she’d calmed down, or maybe cried herself to emotional exhaustion was the better word. But she still had that light to her and she seemed…. To be at peace as she stared at the picture of her lost home.

“Thank you.”

Lena gave a little nod to the whispered words and tapped the panel and removed the ID card. The lights flickered back on with a whirling sound and the walls returned to white.

It was still a lovely night, cloudless and absent of rain, almost as though the gods themselves had decided to shine their light down on Lena, for the first time in her life.

She led Kara back through the building, taking the picnic basket with her and making sure to turn the lights off as they went.

Kara was quiet, lost in her own thoughts, but it didn’t seem awkward. Lena was content to do her own thinking, and not panicking about how her night hadn’t quite gone the way she had foreseen- having your best friend/ Superhero acquaintance cry as though their tears would quench Tantalus’ thirst. She had (maybe and only under threat of a fate worse than death) planned to sit inside with Kara, surrounded by the photo of her home, and eat there. Then she had her Spotify playlist and maybe she could convince Kara to dance with her. Honestly she was going to use it as an excuse to fluster her; comments about her muscles, how strong she was, etcetera, all with the hope of a maybe confession and then, hopefully, a kiss. Of course that entire plan (dream, whatever) was no longer an option. No romance when she looked like a freaking raccoon.

“Would you give me a moment?” She asked Kara quietly as they walked towards a bathroom.

Kara nodded easily and Lena lowered the picnic basket to the floor- hopefully the wine was potent- she needed a drink.

“No snacking,” she warned Kara playfully as she ducked into the bathroom. It was a small one, four stalls and two sinks and she was quick as she relieved herself and then smartly set about righting her make-up. It actually wasn’t that bad. Bad enough that if some paparazzi caught her they would wonder about it and the news would likely run an unflattering story on her, but not as raccoon like as she had thought. It was simple enough to clean up and soon she was out the door.

Kara was leaning against the wall with her phone out and quickly put it away as the door closed behind Lena and she fought her eye-roll. Kara was the only person she knew with a Yuri on Ice sticker on the back of her phone.

“Everything okay?” Lena asked, just wanting to make sure. But she was certain that if it wasn’t Kara would have said something. At least she hoped she would have.

Kara nodded easily and hip-pushed off the wall and swooped down to grab the picnic basket before Lena could.

“Okay,” Lena nodded agreeably and then led them the rest of the way out of the building, unwilling to challenge Kara on becoming a temporary mule. At least she was the prettiest ass Lena had seen. She sniggered to herself and wondered when she had lost her mind and then gave it a moments thought as she locked the door behind them- it being Kara’s _ass_ ets.

Now, Lena didn’t like to think of herself as a perv- in fact she’d had far too many experiences of the type on unwanted advances, jokes, innuendos, threats, and comments from the, mostly, male population that she had made it a personal rule to try to never objectify another person and to never threaten anyone in that particular way- job or reputation wise was another story. She rarely failed. But Kara… Kara bought out the inner hormonal teenager in her. And her mind was already on that particular subject, so she may have let her eyes descend the blue suit and down, only to find her lithe form shielded by a cape. Damn it! And this was why Kara Danvers in jeans nearly ruined her.

Shaking herself of such thoughts she tucked the key-card into her pocket and gestured with her arm towards the car-park. Her bike was still alone in the park, and she almost wanted someone to try and steal it (they would be in for a nasty surprise- she was a Luthor after all), because Supergirl was right _here_ and it would probably make Lena’s night to see Kara in action. She did not have several fantasies already planned for various scenarios of Kara rescuing her and she, being the ever thankful damsel, thanking her hero _properly_.

Lost in her fantasies she almost tripped over the curb, and would have if Kara hadn’t grabbed her in a secure hold and steadied her.

Her air left her in a sudden exhale and smiled at Kara in wordless thanks and gently pulled away. Kara let her go instantly and- was there a flush to her cheeks? It was food for thought- later. Much later. It wasn’t hard to see, the light from the building was bright enough that she could see there was only grass before her, but she made sure of it. She did not want to fall flat on her face-not that Kara would let her. Probably.

They walked a bit further, past the garden and tree line and out into the grass.

“There should be a blanket in there,” Lena said and peered at the basket as though she had supervision and could see what lay inside. Hopefully Jess would come through.

“Yes!” Kara pulled out a blue blanket and Lena didn’t fight her eye-roll. It was, of course, a Super blanket. A Super _girl_ blanket, to be specific. Kara worried her bottom lip in an effort to hide her smile but she couldn’t hide the sparkle in her eyes.

Lena felt her mortification grow as Kara pulled out Supergirl glasses, plates, cutlery, and even Supergirl serviettes among the cheeses, crackers, pate, grapes, fruit, chocolates, and even some sandwiches next to a bottle of wine. She placed them all on the blanket faster than Lena could see.

Jess would _not_ be getting her bonus. In fact, she wouldn’t be getting another pay-check.

“I apologise,” she said stiffly. “My assistant must be playing a joke.”

Kara let out a little giggle that was cut off abruptly when she discovered the container of donuts in the bottom of the basket- and how much food did Jess pack?- and she gave an exaggerated moan of delight. Lena was thankful she was starting to sit down so that it covered her legs suddenly giving out.

“Lena! Look!” She held the donuts up for inspection.

There were a half dozen of them, designed obviously on the stars. Two were black with golden glitter that made them look like star dust against the sky. The other two looked as though the cosmos had been laid across them, and the final two, one of which Kara was lifting to her mouth, were the image of a treeline with purple and red bands of light before they lifted to the sky and the stars spread across it. It looked amazing, almost too pretty to eat, but as Kara took a bite and _moaned_ she suddenly decided that maybe she wouldn’t fire Jess.

Lena shifted on the blanket as her mouth suddenly went dry and reached for the bottle of wine. It was probably beyond being chilled and now a little warm, but the night was brisk enough that the temperature was reasonable. She popped the bottle and then reached for a glass, grimacing at the cheap plastic and tacky ‘S’ crest but not wanting to appear uncouth by tipping the bottle back and downing it.

Kara was still making love to her donut, and Lena pointedly blocked those sounds out- fantasize she may, but she would not use her friend like _that_ \- so she saw no issue in pouring a generous glass of the five hundred dollar a bottle wine and drank at least half of it. It wasn’t terrible, and it shouldn’t be for fifty dollar mouthful of wine, but Lena had had better.

“Mea bis es abazdin’!”

Lena nodded in agreement and took another sip of her wine. She should probably not drink it so fast, but she needed to. For reasons. Reasons that had nothing to do with Kara licking the frosting off of her fingers.

Breathe. In and Out.

It was difficult, very difficult, dragging her mind from the gutter and into the conversation. She likened her mental Lena to being some hag looking woman in a drab once-was-white sheet with her nails dragging along the floor leaving grooves as she was exorcised or something. But she managed it. They talked some more, not much of loss- there had been enough tears and heart-ache for one day- and instead talked about some cat videos Kara had sent her, the latest in tech development, they even got into a friendly disagreement over coke and Pepsi, and cats and dogs.

Kara, naturally, was a dog person and preferred coke over Pepsi. Lena didn’t have time for animals, but thought cats were kindred spirits and favoured Pepsi, but went with coke when she was drinking.

They also agreed that Hufflepuff was the best house, but disagreed on classes. Lena was very fond of transfiguration but Kara was all for charms, and thought Professor Sprout was the awesomest while Lena thought McGonagall was a bad-ass.

Lena was also treated to a two minute rant about Avatar the series, much to her amusement, and didn’t realise that Kara had such a thing for the fire-bending villainess of the series- which did need to be addressed later, as did Kara’s blush over it. She had teased her a little over her crush on Azula.

‘It wasn’t her fault, Lena! She was brainwashed!’ and, ‘She didn’t have anyone! Of course she followed her father!’

Lena had let Kara then go into a rant about how Azula was a product of her upbringing and neglect which had then led into a pro-Slytherin rant and had spiralled into them both discussing the pros and cons of J.K. Rowling’s world. It was full circle.

They, well Lena, picked at the food and wine while Kara devoured it as though she hadn’t eaten one of the biggest meals in the world a few hours earlier.

Then they were discussing the latest Disney reboot- Beauty and the Beast. Kara had loved it- especially Belle’s dress- when Lena mentioned she hadn’t seen any of the latest Disney films, though her friend Kara had been slowly getting her up to date.

And then somehow, and she would later not be able to focus on any of the events leading up to it, Kara had been pulling Lena to her feet while scrolling through her Spotify playlist- and only Kara Danvers would have a Disney mix- to play the iconic song.

She had been nervous then, standing on the grass a little away from the remains of their picnic and Lena had felt her heart thumping, and knew Kara could hear it.

Mouth suddenly dry Lena had hesitantly taken Kara’s hand, as though she were Belle and Kara the Beast, when in reality it was the other way around, in every world. There was no way that Kara; gentle, beautiful, kind, sweet Kara would be anything even remotely beastly. Lena on the other hand…

“May I have this dance, M’Lady?” Kara asked grandly, voice taking on a lofty tone but her head ducked, almost nervously as she held Lena’s hand. And Lena curtsied as though she were the lady in the tale that was being spun beneath starlight.

Kara restarted the song and hesitantly bowed over her hand and it was warm and soft and with a slight tremble to it. It was amazing how such power could convey such gentleness and Lena was in awe of Kara, in a way that she hadn’t quiet felt before, as she cautiously guided her body closer.

Kara and Supergirl were two different people- sort of. It was as though Kara were a ven-diagram, to put it simply. Kara Danvers and Supergirl were on one side, with Kara in the centre. She was both. Her identities were parts of her expanded into identities, without the core Kara, then they were nothing.

Kara was parts of Supergirl, and yes Lena was aware of that, but witnessing the shift, of Supergirl into Kara, somehow blurred around the edges, was earth shattering. Kara Danvers was looking at her with soft, cautious eyes and gently guiding her across the grass with the grace and hidden strength of Supergirl.

Lena had her hand under the cape, gently running the tips of her finger along the fabric of the suit as Kara gently held her hand, with her own hand on Lena’s ribs, fingers splayed as though to cover as much ground as possible.

It was a humbling experience, and maybe Kara had seen that dawning in her eyes, maybe that is what urged her closer.

They ended up, drawn together like magnets or the gravity of the other, with their arms around each other, swaying gently like petals in the wind, the final cords of the song fading.

Lena had her arms hesitantly around Kara’s neck, taking advantage of her vertical inadequacies, but she didn’t think Kara was complaining, if the way her hands had linked at Lena’s lower back. Warmth was rolling through her body, sparking from where she and Kara were touching, bolts of electricity firing from those locations and zipping through her veins and slowly turning them molten. There was a pressure in her chest, but it was a pleasant weight, something that felt like hope, something that felt like home.

And then the universe decided to make a mockery of her so carefully re-crafted composure.

“ _Percussion_.”

Kara tensed under her arms and Lena pulled back slightly.

“ _Strings_.”

Lena felt tension run slow fingers from the warmth at her spine right up to the base of her neck, rousing the fine hairs there.

“ _Winds_.”

Kara’s eyes, which had been closed as they swayed reared open, wide and panicked.

“ _Words_.”

Lena could see her own horror reflected in Kara’s eyes as her heart rate accelerated.

“ _There you see her sitting there across the way. She don’t got a lot to say but there’s something about her_.”

Kara started to fumble for her phone and Lena took a polite step back as Kara Danvers’ usual grace was magnified ten-fold as she tried to find it.

“ _And you don’t know why but you’re dying to try you wanna kiss the girl_.”

Lena swallowed harshly and took another step away from Kara as she finally whipped out her phone and promptly dropped it. Lena glanced skyward at the mess that was her life right now as Kara scrambled after it and fumbled with the password, trying in vain to halt the lyrics to perhaps the most ironic music that Lena had ever heard.

“ _Yes, you want her. Look at her you know you do.”_

Lena wondered if she got her taser out of her purse and shot Kara’s phone with it if it would fry the device and finally halt the music. She didn’t need any further encouragement to take her desires further, and she didn’t think Kara-as Supergirl- was ready for it. She hadn’t even implied that she liked Kara in a non-platonic way to open Kara to the possibility.

“ _Possible she want you to there is one way to ask her. It don’t take a word, not a single word. Go on and kiss the girl.”_

It was maybe not the best message to be sending. Kiss the girl, without consent. Not that Lena wouldn’t be one-hundred percent behind any of aforementioned kissing, especially with Kara, but consent was very important.

The song was cut of abruptly with a crack and Kara was frozen staring at her hand almost in surprise as pieces of her phone fell between her fingers.

Lena sighed and started to pack up their picnic, mood undeniably altered. As much as Kara had ended the song Lena was a 90’s kid, she knew every word to it and it was now playing on in her head and absolutely not helping. And from the flush on Kara’s cheeks she was having her own Disney sing-along in her head.

“Um, I, um,” Kara shuffled closer and hovered just out of reach as though she wanted to help but didn’t trust that she should, in Lena or in herself.

Lena glanced at her and then went back to piling everything into the basket, not caring that she was smearing pate over the blanket or that the bottle of wine would probably leak.

Not knowing what to say Lena remained silent. The song, so innocent but weighted, had left tension in the air between the two of them, words spoken and unspoken. What could she say to the woman she was in love with- who likely had _no_ idea? Would Kara even be willing to kiss her as Supergirl? Fearing rejection but at the same time hoping for it? Because what if Lena kissed her back? Did she love Supergirl? Was Kara Danvers just a friend? What if she didn’t? Could she handle the rejection? A person who gave her heart willingly and unconditionally as though bringing more people into her life would fill the emptiness that Krypton left?

Packing went quickly, Lena discovered, when she didn’t care about anything going into the basket or for its state. Within a minute everything was inside the basket and Lena was leaning on it, forcing the lid down and clipping the clips into place. It strained under the pressure, woven lid arched under the strain.

She glanced at Kara from under her lashes and Kara was worrying the hem of her skirt, rolling it between her fingers and exposing skin that Lena forced her eyes from. Her eyesight did not need her straining in the dark for a glimpse of skin she had no right to.

“I um, I have to go,” Kara said and lifted a hand awkwardly to her ear. “Sirens,” she said needlessly and Lena nodded politely, even as the pressure in her chest sunk through her body, heavy and thick.

“Go and save the day, Supergirl,” Lena managed to hide all of her inner turmoil, not certain of what she was feeling, but knowing she needed some space now, needed to breathe.

Kara gave her a half smile, still hesitating.

“It’s okay,” Lena smiled at her softly, genuine affection in her eyes. “Go on,” she said gently and inclined her head out at the sparkling lights beneath them.

“I-,” Kara took a step towards her, brow tightening a moment and eyes flicking between Lena’s and the air between them charged, like someone had left a cable loose and flicked the switch.

“I had a great time,” Kara’s voice steadied, still soft and gentle, but strong and she took several steps towards Lena until she was in her personal space.

Lena went still and was fairly certain she was doing her best to embody the ‘deer in headlights’ expression- for the first time in her life.

Kara’s body radiated warmth and Lena shivered as Kara’s face came closer.

Her eyes were bright, cautious, but there was a determined crease to her brow and she moistened her lips- something Lena noticed with keen attention.

“Thank you,” she breathed, breath fanning over Lena’s lips and she was fairly certain that if she hadn’t locked her limbs together the moment Kara moved she would have swooned, or something equally as embarrassing.

And then she turned Lena’s world upside down, inside out, back to front. The world still went on as Supergirl rose into the air and jetted across the sky. Cars still crawled along the streets beneath them, and street lamps twinkled. The wind still whispered and she was certain if she could hear anything over the sound of her own racing heart she would be able to hear the sounds of the city; its pulse, beating with the life of the people. But all Lena could hear was the pounding of her own heart, strong and steady and powerful and oh so _alive_.

The world still went on, outside of Lena’s pulse, and for a brief moment gravity unshackled her and Lena flew. And she valiantly fought down the urge to throw her hands to her mouth to muffle a squeal and dance around like a toddler on caffeine on a poke-stick because her life would never be the same, and if she died in the next moment she would die happy. She could die because Kara Danvers had kissed her. On the cheek, but still.

Jess would be getting a Christmas Bonus after all.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

“What’s up with you?”

Kara lifted her head and glanced over at Alex. Her sister was hovering over a microscope in one of the empty DEO laboratories.

“Nothing,” she replied and went back to staring blankly at the wall.

She had had a bit of a busy week. An alien had gone rogue and there were photos of Supergirl fighting him, getting knocked over, and eventually carting him off to containment with a cheesy smile on her face the entire time. Several news outlets had questioned the sanity of their hero, while others had said she was clearly happy in her private life and had wondered who had put the smile on her face. Which had prompted a series of photo-shopped images as the rabid citizens of social media decided to pair Supergirl with everyone from Cat Grant to Kevin Deer, a local sports star. Lena Luthor had even been mentioned, on account of her date with the hero for charity. She had still been quite over that, only saying that her evening with her friend had gone well and she was thankful for the opportunity to help Supergirl’s charity. The press was still clambering for details and Snapper had even demanded Kara get the exclusive, not that she would, Lena was not speaking about it- on the record at least.

“Nothing?” Alex parroted, somehow managing to make the word sound as though Kara had been a pouting toddler.

Kara sighed and spun around on her wheelie chair while she waited for Alex to broach the subject; Lena Luthor. And more importantly, her date with Supergirl. The first half of their date had been broadcasted all over the news; how Lena had planned to take Supergirl to the bar anyway but had led the reporters to Petit Jardin to through them off track. After that though, no one had known where the two had ended up, though there had been speculation about a date at an observatory. Lena had been silent on the matter, merely issuing a statement through her PR team saying she had a great time and was thankful for the support all the charities had gathered because of the gala.

Alex had cautiously enquired about her night, as had Winn, James and Maggie, but Kara had been quiet on it, just smiling to herself and keeping her inner glow held to her chest. And it wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell them about how much fun she had had with Lena, she did. It was just that every time Lena was mentioned Kara felt like she had to talk herself hoarse in defending her when Lena had done nothing to deserve the distrust except be adopted by the wrong family. But Kara wouldn’t change that.

The Luthor’s turned Lena into Lena; strong and smart and brave and full of light. She just didn’t like that no-one else, especially the people she cared for, didn’t seem to see what Kara did. They told her to be careful, to never fully trust Lena, and she was tired of it. So she just said it had been nice and had left it at that. Winn still pouted at her, still wanting the details, and but James had let it go with a last pointed warning about the Luthor’s. Alex had been a little more difficult to shrug off and she had a…odd conversation with her, about how we can’t help who we love and how Alex would love and protect Kara no matter what. It was all very strange and Kara had decided not to tell Alex about her crush on Lena and instead try to figure out what Alex was trying to say. She hadn’t succeeded, but the incident still stuck out for her a few days later.

“Kara,” Alex sighed and set down her petri-dish and removed her gloves, fixing Kara with her patented ‘I can kill you with my pinky-glare. “You’ve been wired for days, all… bouncy and energized. Are you gonna tell me what happened or do I have to guess?”

Placing her boots on the ground Kara leant forward and glanced up at Alex from under her lashes.

“I kissed her, Alex,” she confessed in a breathless whisper, still cruising that high, feeling the phantom tingle of Lena’s smooth and soft cheek against her lips. Her stomach flipped in recollection and she was drawn from musing on the feelings by how Alex’s eyes had widened before turning contemplative and how her spine and gone rigid.

“You kissed Lena Luthor?” Alex’s voice was measured, even, as she clarified. She frowned over at her, wondering if Alex was about to spew anti-Luthor, or anti-Lena rhetoric like she had, but Alex only met her eyes, gaze weighted and light.

“Did you?” Alex enquired again, with no indication of anything other than quiet curiosity, so Kara decided to pretend there was no history there and that this was Kara telling her sister Alex about a girl at school.

She nodded eagerly and felt her cheeks pull her lips into a smile.

She hadn’t wanted to tell Alex, tell anyone even. She wanted to keep it to herself, warming her from the inside for the past few days whenever she thought of it. It wasn’t just because of the whole Super-Luthor thing either. Her life was full of people she didn’t always want in it; not that she didn’t value the members of the DEO, or even Maggie and Winn and James, but sometimes it felt like they thought they had a right to tell her things, as though she couldn’t protect herself and make her own decisions.

Alex was like that too, but she understood with Alex, even if she didn’t like it. Alex had devoted most of her life to protecting her little sister, and she wouldn’t change it, but sometimes habits were hard to break. Plus Alex hadn’t exactly been Lena’s biggest fan, but she hadn’t said or done anything regarding Lena for a while so that hadn’t been so much of an issue. But part of her didn’t want to take anything away from Alex. Being herself, coming out as it were, was something for Alex, her time to shine, and she didn’t want to take away from that with her thing for Lena.

But people had noticed her general giddy demeanour but had put it down as Kara being Kara, but Alex had noticed and had tried, gently, to get her to talk. Kara had put her off, not wanting to share her new found light with anyone just yet. Because she had kissed Lena! Even just thinking about it made her smile broadly and she felt her heart do a happy dance.

“As Kara Danvers or as…..” Alex let her words trail off pointedly and the euphoria Kara had been soaring on cut itself off like the switch of a switch.

“Oh,” she said after a few moments of staring blankly at Alex. She had kissed Lena Luthor as Supergirl. Even without their families complicated history- and Lena was in no way like her mother and brother- she had just complicated things significantly. She was a hero- a public figure- with many enemies. If anyone caught on to Lena and Supergirl then Lena would be in even more danger and she would become a target.

The thought of being responsible for any harm coming to Lena churned a thick feeling in her chest and chased the smile from her face.

Plus, heroes couldn’t exactly hold the hands of their significant other in public, and people already speculated about her and Lena. She couldn’t properly date Lena if there were cameras always around and it didn’t help that Lena was already such a prominent figure in the media. But if it were between Supergirl and Lena Luthor, how would that even work with Kara Danvers in the mix? She didn’t want to lie to her, couldn’t go any further without it, but she was also afraid to tell her.

Alex sighed. “Okay,” she said and shuffled forward on her seat until she could take Kara’s hands. “Start from the beginning.”

And so Kara did. She told Alex all about her fear of having to eat ‘vegetarian, Alex! Vegetarian! I’m not a rabbit!’ food when she learnt what restaurant Lena had taken them to. And she had been so surprised and then awed by how Lena had taken her to a casual bar and let her make a fool out of herself and devour one of the biggest burger and fry meals in the world. ‘Lena’s good a pool, did you know that Alex? We’ll have to invite her out for drinks next time. See if she can beat Maggie!’

The faint lines around Alex’s eyes had tightened when Kara mentioned the flirting and, ‘I didn’t realise she was flirting with me, Alex! But I looked it up and she so was! I thought she just liked to fluster everyone, but its actually flirting!’ And then Alex had swept her into a hug when Kara explained about the observatory and how Lena had held her as she cried, but her eyes had narrowed.

She had listened as Kara had gushed about how dancing with Lena felt and then had hid her smile when Kara complained, ‘Argh! and I couldn’t turn it off! And the crab kept on singing like we were in our own movie!’

“So you did,” Alex said and gave a little amused nod, in agreement or approval Kara wasn’t sure.

“Yes,” she sighed dreamily and sat back on her chair, hearing it crack in protest at her strength.

“It was amazing, Alex,” she said softly, eyes wide and distant. “Her skin is soooo soft and she smelt so good and my lips were tingly after and-“

“Wait,” Alex interrupted and raised an incredulous eyebrow. “So you didn’t kiss her on the lips?”

Kara froze mid ramble about how Lena must spend a fortune on her skin lotion and gave Alex her full attention.

“No?” She blinked in confusion.

Alex wet her lips and nodded slowly. “Right,” she ran her fingers through her hair distractedly. “So Supergirl kissed Lena Luthor on the cheek? That’s it?”

Kara nodded in agreement, mind returning to that moment and her body flushing and tingling pleasantly.

Alex let out a breath and tapped her fingers on the bench.

“Okay,” her eyes sharpened and she spoke in her ‘Agent’ voice. “We have a couple options, but I have a few questions for you first.”

“Um, okay?” Kara’s brow tightened but she gave Alex her complete attention.

“Does she know you’re Supergirl?”

Kara immediately shook her head. “No, or at least I don’t think so? She hasn’t said anything,” Kara added with a shrug. “But she’s super smart! Like genius level smart! Her latest project is for green energy and she-“

“I don’t need to know how smart and how pretty and how lovely Lena’s laugh is, Kara,” Alex interrupted with a raised hand and Kara slumped back in her seat. How had she not realised the depth of her feelings for Lena when Alex, and even Maggie, Winn, and James, had told her on countless occasions that if ‘she said Lena or Luthor one more time I’ll eat the rest of the potstickers-even if it makes me sick!’ Maggie hadn’t been joking and Kara and slumped on the couch and pulled a cushion to her chest to hold and had not mentioned Lena for the rest of the night- unless you counted her talking about Lena’s hair, eyes, smile, laugh, and how funny and good she was. Maggie would probably never eat a potsticker again in her life, and would probably rather starve.

“Right.”

“Do you want- do you love her?” Alex asked suddenly, clearly changing direction and Kara went still, eyes lifting slowly to Alex and staying there.

Her sister had folded her arms and was matching her stare with her blank face and it was hard to tell what she was thinking, even her heart-rate was giving nothing away.

“Y-es?”

“Are you asking or are you telling me?” Alex responded and tilted her chin slightly and lifted a brow. It reminded her of Lena. But Lena somehow made it work better than Alex. Not that Alex couldn’t do it well, but Lena’s was just better. She probably had more practice.

“Telling,” Kara said and then repeated herself more firmly. “Telling. I’m in love with Lena.” She paused a moment and then positively beamed as her own words sunk in. “I’m in love with Lena!” She very nearly squealed and Alex winced slightly as Kara shot to her feet and started to pace.

“Oh my Rao! I’m in love with Lena! Ehhhhhh!” She let out a little shriek of delight and turned to see Alex smiling at her with absolute affection even as she was shaking her head in disbelief. She’d not said it out-loud before and was surprised at how… right it felt. She knew she loved Lena, that much she had come to terms with, but being in love with someone was different to loving them. She loved Alex with all she was, but she wasn’t in love with her. But Lena…..

She absolutely loved Lena, was in love with her.

Alex gave a little nod and lifted her hands asking silently for Kara to calm down and she flopped back onto her chair, ignored how it buckled beneath her, and gave Alex her full attention. Surprisingly Alex hadn’t said anything even remotely anti-Lena and that, more than anything, made her realise how she had screwed up.

“Oh, Rao,” she said suddenly as it hit her what Alex had been getting at.

“Exactly,” Alex ducked her head. “So. Game plan. What do you want?”

“Lena,” Kara said immediately and then flushed a little. Alex’s little smirk said she would probably be in for teasing at a later date, but her big sister was letting it go for the moment.

“Right, so you want Lena,” Alex waggled her eyebrows suggestively and Kara felt her flush grow.

“Not like that, Alex,” she groaned and then thought about ‘that’ and promptly broke the table beneath her hands.

Alex pointedly ignored that, as well as Kara’s face.

“As Supergirl or as Kara or both?”

“Both,” Kara answered promptly and pointedly returned her hands to her lap. “But more as Kara than as Supergirl.”

Alex nodded and brought out her tablet and started to make notes as though this were a mission or something.

“Are you planning on telling her about…you?” Alex asked, waving a hand in Kara’s direction and she gave it some thought.

She had wanted to tell Lena who she was for so long, but it had never seemed like the right time, and a selfish part of her hadn’t wanted to share it. With Lena she could be Kara; no Supergirl or alieness or even her cover as a reporter. She was just Kara, plain and simple Kara, Kara who Lena called a friend and she wasn’t willing to do anything to jeopardise that. When people found out about her ‘S-secret’ they treated her differently… at least they did at first. Like Winn and Cat and Lucy and Maggie, even James had already known about her before they met, but Lena… Lena had no idea, and she still cared about her, still thought she was special. Kara knew everyone was special, after all, everyone always said that, but Lena made her believe it, believe that her being her was someone worth knowing, and that made a huge difference. She didn’t know what she would do without Lena.

“I- was,” Kara said slowly, lifting her eyes and seeing Alex waiting for an answer. “Would she have to sign any NDA’s?”

Alex met her gaze for a moment before shaking her head slowly and Kara felt her heart thump and her surprise etch itself on her face.

“No?”

Alex shook her head again. “No…. If you choose to tell her then that’s fine, she wont have to sign anything. I promise.”

Kara beamed at her. “The DEO is okay with it?”

Alex barked a little laugh. “Probably not,” she said and tilted her head as she added dryly, “but they can’t control who you tell. Only if you bring Lena here or mention anything about us then she will have to sign a few NDA’s, but only on the DEO and other affiliates. Not on Supergirl.”

“Alex,” Kara whispered. It sounded like Alex had given it some thought and stepped in to bat for her with J’onn and probably Pam from HR.

“You’re my sister, Kara,” she said simply and gave her a watery smile and Kara didn’t fight the urge to pull her into a hug. “I love you and want you to be safe and happy but most importantly I want you to love and be loved.”

Kara held her as tight as she dared trying to force her love for Alex into her. Alex had basically just given her approval to go after Lena, not that she needed it, but having it made her feel weightless. Alex was basically telling her she approved of Lena and would defend Kara’s decision if it came to that, and she had no idea what that meant to Kara, especially after everything that had happened.

“I love you,” she said into her sisters hair, trying not to squeeze her as tight as she wanted. It was one of the things she hated about her powers, her strength meant she could save Alex from almost anything but also meant she couldn’t hug her as she wanted to, or needed to.

“I love you too,” Alex smiled and she could feel the press of her chin on her head and could hear her sister’s heart-beat in the scant space between them. “Now,” Alex said and sniffed a little as she pulled back. “What are you going to do?”

Alex had her ‘game-face’ on and it wasn’t one Kara liked to mess with. The two put their heads together and started to plan various scenarios that would lead to Kara’s ideal outcome- Lena agreeing to be her girlfriend, and not Supergirl’s.

~*~

She was nervous. Very nervous. And the chirpy music on the elevator up to Lena’s apartment was doing _wonders_ for her mood. Really. It was. She had no desire to punch out the speakers at all.

It had been a few days since she had seen Lena; there had been an incident with a rogue alien, which she had taken care of with a smile on her face, and then Snapper had been Snapper and had demanded an exclusive with Lena Luthor on her date with Supergirl.

Lena had been busy as well, her new green energy initiative finally being moved into all of the L-Corp branches and Lena was distracted with over-seeing it. They had texted though but it wasn’t enough. Kara wanted, needed more, and had felt increasingly uncomfortable as the days had swept on and she hadn’t seen Lena.

So she was here, at her apartment, about to tell her two very important and life-changing facts and hopefully it would turn out all right. She sent a brief prayer to Rao, asking him to shine his light on her for her two confessions, asking him to let his love fill the two of them. It had been years since she had spoken to him, having ranted and roared at him as she had screamed her loss to the skies, unsure if he could even hear her, or if he had died with Krypton. But Lena had shown her Krypton, and though she knew it no longer existed, she had come to one startling realisation as she flew with the stars, heart and mind full of Lena, Rao wasn’t dead. How could he be when she and her cousin still lived? Her, more than her cousin, it was true, but she still held Rao’s light in her heart and she would spread it to everyone she knew. Rao’s light could never die out, not as long as she loved. And love she did. She loved with all she had, and took that light and shined it on others. And so she asked of him the strength to go through with her plans, and the hope to believe in herself.

Lena lived on the top floor, of course, and Kara had to go through a ridiculous amount of security before approaching Lena’s door. It opened for her and Lena was there, smiling gently, and dressed down in grey sweats and a large singlet and glasses. Oh, Rao! Glasses.

“Kara! Hello!”

The pressure in her chest eased and Kara held up her pizza box in offering.

“Come in!” Lena stepped back to let her inside and Kara paused near her and hesitated before quickly ducking into the room.

It was surprisingly homely, something that most people wouldn’t expect from Lena Luthor, but she had clearly tried to put her personal touch on her apartment.

It was two bedroom, something Kara knew from her previous visits, and had a modest modern kitchen and a large open-plan living and dining area. There was a rug thrown over the couch with a glass of wine next to a book- romance novel if the cover was to be believed- and it looked like Kara had interrupted Lena’s relaxation. There was soft music drifting out the speakers and a classical playlist being played through her television.

“I’m sorry,” she began, not wanting to intrude but Lena just smiled at her sweetly as she shut and locked the door behind them.

“Its fine, Kara,” she smiled and Kara shivered. How had she gone more than a day without hearing Lena say her name? “You’re freeing me from a rather boring sex scene,” she added and gestured to her book with a wry smile.

Kara felt her face heat and her stomach flip pleasantly at the thought. She placed the pizza box carefully on the corner of the bench and gave a little shrug. The bottle of wine was open and already more empty than full, and judging by the stains in the glass, Kara figured she’d been drinking for a while.

“What brings you by?” Lena enquired as she moved to the pantry and pulled out a plate for the pizza and silently offered Kara a drink.

“Water, thanks,” she said and slid onto one of the stools opposite the kitchen and watched Lena move around.

“I missed you,” she answered simply, heart hammering at her confession as she tried to tip-toe into her feelings. If Lena didn’t feel the same way, or have any hope of it, then she wouldn’t say anything. She would rather be a coward with a friend than a brave woman with no friend. Better Lena be in her life than Lena be out of it.

Lena paused as she held the glass under the tap and her smile turned soft and gentle and she glanced up at Kara from under her lashes. “I missed you to.”

Kara’s heart thumped powerfully in her chest, over-compensating for how her body had gone still waiting for Lena’s reaction and she relaxed, warmth and hope easing the tension in her limbs.

“Did you want to watch something? The new episode of Game of Thrones came out and I haven’t seen it yet.”

Kara had seen it already, had dragged Alex away from Maggie and made her watch it with her, but she was more than happy to see it again and said so. She had gotten Lena into the series after much pleading, and while Kara would watch it the moment it aired, she would always make time to watch it again with Lena. It was there thing.

“Awesome,” Lena said and flicked her head towards the large television on the wall. “Can you set it up please?”

Kara was quick to obey, navigating the room and then Lena’s online streaming sites with the ease of someone who had done it many times before while Lena brought over the pizza box and water for Kara.

Soon the opening theme began and the two shared a glance as they started to hum it in unison.

They were positioned on opposite ends of the couch and had their legs curled up underneath them and didn’t talk for the rest of the episode. Though Lena was sometimes vocal in her reactions and had defended herself, unnecessarily to Kara, by saying that she was invested in the characters. Kara was content to just watch her.

She looked young in the soft light from the television and coming in through the open curtains by the floor to ceiling windows. Her hair was in a loose pony-tail but some strands had escaped and framed her face prettily. She’d removed her make-up as well, and her bright eyes were locked on the screen, so Kara felt free to run her eyes lazily over Lena’s profile. She was magnificent.

“What?” Lena asked, brows twitching with a faint smile to her lips as she turned to Kara.

“Nothing,” she replied hurriedly, face flushing at having been caught staring and Lena wet her lips before nodding and returning her attention back to the television. Having been caught Kara had dart glances at her friend from the corner of her eyes, unable to tear them away but not ready for a confrontation.

She thought she did well, hiding her appreciation, and when Lena got up to take their plates, and her empty glass- which she had very nearly sculled after she caught Kara staring-, to the kitchen she may have let her gaze lower and watch as Lena walked away.

The singlet was loose and baggy, exposing enough skin under Lena’s arms that Kara knew she wasn’t wearing a bra and that knowledge made her feel warm and fuzzy and her stomach flipped over. The grey sweatpants hung low on her hips, low enough that Kara was able to see a sliver of black lace under the faded white-singlet.

Lena’s heart was doing its own twirls and Kara pulled her attention from her hormones and back to Lena, more concerned with her friends wellbeing than with her own less than platonic thoughts.

“Are you okay?” She enquired, twisting her body on the couch to face Lena properly. Lena was quiet and thoughtful as she stood in the kitchen.

She nodded slowly and Kara felt the tension in her shoulders lessen as she came around the kitchen bench and approached the couch. The theme song to game of thrones was still playing softly in the background and Kara’s mind absently ran through it while she waited.

Lena’s heart-rate was accelerating, nothing major but enough to concern her. She didn’t like Lena’s heartrate doing anything that it shouldn’t. And right now it was thumping powerfully and doing cartwheels.

“I-“ Lena hesitated and then, in the most ungraceful move Kara had ever seen her make, tripped over the edge of the couch and landed, in a tangle of limbs, directly on Kara.

Kara froze as her hands went to Lena’s waist to steady her and she could feel her warmth burning her palms and smell the wine on her breath. Obviously, Kara thought, she hadn’t partaken in alcohol for a while and her sculling of the rest of her glass had affected her even though it must have only been a mouthful or two.

“Lena?” She rasped, heart trying to pound its way from the bone prison of her chest.

She almost choked on her swallow as Lena adjusted herself on the couch, now effectively straddling Kara with her hands toying with blonde strands.

“I’m afraid you did interrupt me tonight,” she said softly, face curled into Kara’s neck and each exhale caused a wave of goose-bumps to spread across Kara’s skin.

She swallowed harshly and let her hands fall limply onto the couch. Lena was not hers to touch and she should not be touching her, even if this was better than she ever could have imagined her night going.

“I’m sorry,” Kara shivered as Lena’s lips rested against the arch of her neck and she could feel Lena smile. “You should have said something.”

“Mh,” Lena hummed and the sound stirred the fine hairs at the back of Kara’s neck and sent little bolts of electricity through her veins. “I could hardly tell you that I was reading my book and then planned on having a bath and…enjoying myself.”

Kara felt all of the moisture in her mouth flee to her palms and she discreetly tried to wipe them on the couch.

“ _Oh_ ,” she said, mouth forming the word in a probably comical fashion and she was glad that Lena couldn’t see how her face had heated at the implication.

One of Lena’s hands came up to curl around Kara’s neck and she pulled back, the movement shifting her weight and lowering it further onto Kara’s lap and she let out a little whine.

Lena’s eyes had darkened and were searching as they ran over Kara’s face and she fought the urge to look away but was immobilised.

“Kara,” Lena rumbled, voice low and throaty and the sound hit somewhere low and deep in Kara’s belly.

“Y-es?” She croaked and her throat bobbed as she swallowed.

“Can I let you in on a little secret?”

Kara nodded mutely, certain her head was moving like one of those bobble-head figures.

“I have a…crush on our mutual friend.”

Lena was stroking the back of Kara’s neck, under her ponytail and scratching it with her nails lightly. Kara shivered and her hands lifted and lowered again, unable to decide if she should place them on Lena or not. Most of her brain power had frozen with Lena’s words, ringing them over and over and over.

“C-rush?” Kara repeated and cleared her throat. “Crush?”

“Mh hm,” Lena murmured against her neck and Kara was aware of how shallow and swift her breathing had become. “Crush.”

Kara’s heart was both weightless and filled with lead, ecstatic and despondent. Lena liked Supergirl! Oh, Lena liked Supergirl.

The two parts of her were waring and maybe this was how Zuko had felt when he was forced to choose between his family and past, and his heart and future. How did she make that choice?

“But,” Lena drawled, dragging her from her thoughts. “I like someone else a lot more.”

Kara closed her eyes as Lena leant forward and placed her forehead against hers. Lena’s breath was warm against her lips, her skin tingling at the contact points. White sparks were firing through her body, curling and swirling and dancing and building into an inferno that was slinking through her veins.

“Who?” She asked breathless, not wanting to know the answer but aching to know at the same time.

“Kara.” The pressure at the base of her neck increased and she hesitantly opened her eyes.

Lena’s were bright, the only thing she could see and they were glowing, a bright green, full of life and….love?

“You, Kara,” Lena said and her eyes were soft and hopeful, a small smile curling her lips.

“Me?” She mouthed, trying to compartmentalise the words she knew she had heard Lena say, with the way her heart was a roaring triumphant beast, and how her mind and screeched to a halt.

Lena gave a shaky, nervous laugh, and her heart was thrumming like a hummingbird. “Yes,” she sounded amused, shy, hopeful and brave all in one. “You,” she added and Kara’s world ended and was reborn by the light in Lena’s eyes.

Kara gave a little blink and kept her eyes on Lena’s using them as an anchor as her world danced and spun, they were startlingly clear.

“Oh,” she said blankly and there was heat under her palms and building in her chest.

“You,” she paused and moistened her lips, certain Lena could feel the way her pulse was thumping in her neck. “You like me?”

“Oh, _Kara_ ,” Lena gave a little throaty chuckle and Kara’s fingers tightened in response and Lena’s head shot back slightly, lips parting and inhaling sharply.

Kara loosened her grip immediately, unaware she had brought her hands to Lena’s thighs and jerking them away as though they were burnt.

“I like- _like_ you,” she said and her eyes were bright and Kara knew that in that moment she would spend forever looking into them.

“Okay,” Kara said and gave a little nod, moistening her lips.

“Okay?” Lena replied, lips parting in a similar fashion to when Kara would come out and say something that would amuse her. ‘Golly,’ came to mind.

Kara nodded eagerly. “That’s good,” she said and pressed her glasses up her nose with an index finger. “Really good,” she gave another little nod.

“Is it now?” Lena tilted her head and lifted a brow and amusement layered her tone. She seemed…calm now, completely at ease with her confession, and for such an insecure person it left Kara stumbling around trying to catch up.

Kara nodded again. Pretty sure her body had forgotten how to do anything else. “Yup!” She popped the ‘p’ and Lena briefly rolled her eyes, it was more of a lazy turn, really, because she didn’t seem to be able to take her eyes off of Kara.

“Why is that?” Lena’s heart was thumping powerfully in her chest, Kara could feel it release and contract.

“Because…. I like you too? Like-like you, I mean. Not that I don’t like you because I do! You are smart and kind and pretty and funny and kind of amazing and everyone should like you! But only because they want to and because you’re like the best friend ever but they can’t be your best friend because I am your best friend not that I don’t want you to have other friends I just want to be your friend and maybe I can be your friend and like you as well? I mean I know that’s a thing and maybe it-“

“Kara,” Lena’s laugh shook her entire body and when Kara finally halted her rambling she blinked and was held in Lena’s eyes.

“If I were to kiss you….” Lena trailed off and her eyes were searching, heart pounding and Kara felt her own jump, trying to soar from her chest and join Lena’s, maybe to twirl and dance together in the cosmos.

“Yes!” Kara blurted and then flushed as Lena chuckled at her enthusiasm. “I, ah,” she needlessly adjusted her glasses. “Yes.” She gave a little nod. “Yes.”

Lena drew closer, haloed by the dim glow of the city outside the window and Kara’s breath caught and held and then Lena was her entire world.

There weren’t fireworks. Or the birth of stars. Or even the world tilting on its axis. Instead something fell into place like it belonged, like they belonged. Lena and Kara. Together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was it everything you needed? One more chap to go/maybe the epilogue. Will see. Reveal is coming up and some more kisses :)


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Lena’s lips were soft and gentle with their pressure and she lingered, letting her breath fall over Kara’s lips. Kara inhaled and Lena’s breath slunk through her body and curled in her lungs before being sent out in her veins, alight with Lena’s essence. She liked the thought of it, of Lena being in her, of them being one.

Letting out a sigh Kara shifted into the kiss, tilting her head and pressing back.

She could feel Lena’s smile through the kiss and pressed even harder, mindful of her own strength, but wanting, _needing_ , Lena.

Lena parted her lips on the next kiss and Kara let hers fall open as Lena brought her hands around to cup her face and Kara settled her fingers on Lena’s waist. Her fingertips gently lifted up and down as her mouth met Lena’s, and the fabric under her touch vanished as she got further up Lena’s side and she stroked soft skin.

“Hmph,” Lena exhaled at the touch and Kara could feel the shift in the air as the fine hairs on her arms rose in response. Their hearts were beating in unison, building into a powerful crescendo, a symphony that was both achingly familiar and joyously new.

“Ticklish?” Kara rasped out between kisses and Lena made a sound at the back of her throat, it rumbled up from her chest, building power, and then she shifted her body, pressing closer to Kara and Kara was the one to gasp.

Lena took the opportunity to slide her tongue across the seam of Kara’s mouth and she parted her lips in response. A choked exhale accompanied Lena licking her way into Kara’s mouth, teasing with gentle pressure and playfully stroking Kara’s tongue with her own.

It sent shivers up and down her body, white hot sparks firing in her blood stream and radiating warmth, heating her from head to toe-especially where they were touching.

Lena’s kisses were the perfect representation of the woman herself. They were demandingly gentle, hiding the power beneath them, as well as her passion, and sweet and generous, and cunning and victorious all at once.

Lena lowered one of her hands and pressed against Kara’s shoulder and shifted her weight onto the opposite leg, guiding Kara back against the couch and down. She shuffled around, wordlessly obeying Lena’s instruction, and _may_ had taken advantage of her strength to lift Lena, just a little, and kicked her legs out. If Lena noticed how they had moved down the couch, so that Kara’s head was near the opposite arm-rest, she didn’t mention anything, likely too busy staring down at Kara with her pupils bleeding into black and something _primal_ in her eyes.

It made Kara nervous, and unsure. She didn’t know where to put her hands or if she could keep kissing her or what Lena wanted. She knew what she wanted though, and that was Lena.

If anything Lena seemed very okay with their current position and her weight was reassuring and Kara was sure she could feel her skin through their clothing. She felt charged, energetic, as though an electric wire had been left loose and was sparking and firing in the air, charging it.

She wanted to fly, as fast as she possibly could, until the urge to bring Lena into her own skin, to join Lena in hers, abated, but she also never wanted to leave.

Lena’s hands hovered a moment over her, silently asking for permission. What for, Kara didn’t know, only that she needed more. Lena’s heart was thumping in the air between them, charging both of their blood, pounding out her desire.

Lena’s eyes were hesitant and Kara didn’t know what she had seen in her own eyes, but she gave a half smile and descended, bracing her arm next to her and pressing the length of her body over Kara’s.

She tingled. All over. Lena was soft and warm and her restless fingers found the skin of Lena’s arms and traced the band of muscle.

Her mouth was occupied, wonderfully so. Lena didn’t capture her mouth so much as devour it, and her entire body shivered as a wave of pleasurable pins and needles overtook it. Phantom flames were licking at her insides and she wanted to squirm and bounce and shift beneath Lena, needing, aching for something she couldn’t name.

Lena’s mouth opened up under her own pressure, silently letting Kara’s tongue venture into unexplored territory and the fire in her veins flared brighter than before, liquefying and sinking into her belly in a wave of molten heat.

She nearly whimpered in protest when Lena finally pulled away, chest panting and breath stuttering, and Kara lifted her head to chase her lips. Lena smiled and kissed her sweetly on the nose before turning her head and pressing soft, feather light kisses across her cheek and down her jawline and she let her head fall to the side.

There was something else she had been meaning to do, she knew it. But she couldn’t quite form a single thought beyond the warm weight pressing on her, the heat unfurling in her belly, and Lena’s mouth open and hot on her skin.

One of her hands as found the hem of Lena’s shirt and had bunched it up Lena’s waist, exposing alabaster skin to the slightly cooler air and Lena jerked when Kara’s palm flattened on her hip.

Heart leaping Kara tore her hand away only for Lena to lift one of her own and go blankly searching for it.

“Hand,” she rasped into Kara’s neck, punctuating the command with a rake of teeth that had Kara’s breath leaving her in a noisy exhale. “I want you to touch me.” And that set off _all_ sorts of reactions in Kara’s body.

The other hand curled at Lena’s nape, getting a little tangled in soft, dark locks but Lena groaned in approval as she ran her nails through the fine hair there, so she kept it there and lifted the other back to Lena’s questing hand.

She curled their hands immediately, fingers locking together sweetly as she lifted it, and Kara could feel the stuttering of her heart in the minute space between them. Lena had been considerate enough to keep most of her weight braced while letting her lower legs restlessly intertwine with Kara’s, and for the moment she was holding strong. But…. Part of Kara wanted her to let go, to press her entire body onto hers and feel her weight, to let it ground her, to hold Lena up.

She was momentarily distracted by something she had once read on the internet, on one of those animal blogs. A woman had asked about a snake and the vet had replied and said that its behaviour indicated it was seeing if it could eat her. Kara couldn’t quite remember the context but she remembered some of the comments, and one especially about women pressing their bodies into a hug, rather than just their arms, and that meant that they intended to eat whoever they were embracing. She didn’t think she had it quite right and was trying to puzzle it through when she was dragged back to the present.

Lena’s hand was warm and soft and commanding as she pulled Kara’s hand back to her skin, pressing it there pointedly and leaning into the touch with a soft sigh. And her blood was singing in her veins and Kara ached to know just what sort of symphony’s she could coax from it.

She closed her eyes, letting her head fall further to the side and lost herself in the feel of Lena. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to watch, oh _Rao_ she wanted to watch, but she needed to feel more. Needed to feel the way Lena responded to her touch and feel how her own body was firing on all cylinders, bellowing fire into the sky.

Lena’s skin was warm and soft and her fingers remembered the path they had walked earlier and set about tracing the line of her hip, scratching lightly on the way up in contrast to the teasing caress on the way down.

There was more skin here; far more to map, and her fingertips were eager as they traced the lines of Lena’s body as though she could read the grail of her life from her skin alone. And she wanted to know it. She wanted to know everything about Lena. She wanted to know about the little scar she could feel near the bottom of the ladder of Lena’s ribs. She wanted to play them with the finesse of Beethoven or Mozart, see what sounds she could tear from Lena’s lips, what the symphony of the two of them would sound like together. She wanted to share with Lena’s pain and hopes and joys. She wanted her love, forever.

Her heart rate was making up for the immobilisation of her body and of its own accord the hand at Lena’s nape travelled down the curve of her neck traced the muscles in her shoulders and back until it was parallel to the other hand on Lena’s hip. Seeing as Lena had told her she wanted her to touch her she saw no issue in following Lena’s command like a faithful servant. If Lena wanted Kara’s hands on her then Kara was more than happy to oblige, plus there was more skin here. Not that she didn’t enjoy cradling Lena’s neck and encouraging her kisses but she wanted more.

Lena pulled away for a moment before drawing her tongue along the path from Kara’s shoulder to her ear and back down again, and she couldn’t control the sound that emerged from her lips.

She felt Lena’s smirk before she moaned as Lena bit into the arch between her neck and shoulder and sucked. Her pulse very nearly tried to leap from her body and into Lena.

She would have been embarrassed by the kneeling, whine that was rumbling at the back of her throat as Lena tried very, very hard to mark her impervious skin, but Lena was making her own needy sounds. Breathless, mewling sounds that Kara was memorising and playing over and over while her body felt as though she were on fire. It had been hers all her life, different and powerful when she arrived on earth and stood beneath its young yellow sun, and soon that body had become hers. But it had still been her body, now though, something powerful was surging through her veins, setting her nerve endings alight and filling her with energy. It was familiar and unfamiliar in turn. Powerful like sunlight, but nothing like it.

Something white hot and molten, liquid fire, was burning its way through her body and curling in her belly, low and warm. It left her aching in an unfamiliar way.

She was gentle but determined as her finger-tips counted the stair of Lena’s ribs and she could hear the disturbance in the air as the fine hairs on Lena’s body rose to attention and she smirked to herself, waiting a moment with her hands just below Lena’s shoulders before dragging her nails right down past the dip in her spine and to the waist-band of her pants.

Lena detached her mouth from Kara’s neck with a gasp and arched her back into the touch and Kara’s eyes flew open. She let out a low long groan, a sound that fired in Kara’s lower body and let her body sag back unto Kara’s and almost lazily lowered her mouth. Kara met her lips with her own, licking languidly into Lena’s mouth as her fingers skirted Lena’s ribcage, feeling the curve of her breasts but not daring to touch, not yet.

“Mh,” Lena hummed and Kara shivered, somehow cold but knowing she’d never be cold again. Lena’s eyes were bleeding into black.

Something was niggling in the back of her mind, but it was slippery, like smoke, and she couldn’t catch it. Lena distracted her again with a bright smile and brought her palm up, curling her hand around Kara’s neck and kissing her soundly. Her arm was trembling now, the one holding her upright, and Kara wondered how long she would be able to maintain the position.

Sighing happily she met Lena’s lips again, shifting when she captured her bottom lip, toying with it before giving a gentle tug. The movement fired somewhere in her belly.

Lena shifted again, lowing a lot of her body weight onto Kara and Kara’s fingers flexed in response and she ran her fingertips southward again, itching for the desire to touch as much of her as possible.

She scratched lightly and was rewarded with a low, raspy moan and the sound made the muscles in her stomach contract. Unfortunately it also jostled Lena slightly and she shifted back a little. Kara didn’t not whine in protest and follow Lena, fingers curling with the need to be touching skin again.

“Kara,” Lena’s voice was low and throaty, a raspy chuckle as she said Kara’s name. She was almost reprimanding, but mostly sounded amused. With Lena away from her she could almost think. Almost.

Lena looked…. Ethereal in the dark with a sliver of light casting her face in an amber glow from the night outside. The regal arcs and curves of her features were highlighted and her hair had fallen free, a gentle wave to it. Kara dimly recalled running her hands through soft, dark locks and wondered where her ponytail had fallen to; probably somewhere in the couch. There was a gentle flush to her cheeks, framing her face prettily and her lips were a dark red, swollen with use, and Kara felt privileged for getting to see Lena like this.

Lena’s heartrate was stampeding in the air between them, bouncing off of the arched chambers of Kara’s heart and ringing like the bells in a cathedral.

Kara watched as she took a few measured breaths, obviously consciously trying to slow her heartrate, and her body’s reactions.

“Don’t,” she said softly, hands settling on Lena’s hips. Some of the fabric had fallen but there was still plenty of exposed skin for her hungry eyes and timid touch. “I like knowing how I affect you.” It was one of the bolder statements she had made, especially with their intimate context.

Lena tilted her head to the side, eyes narrowing a little in confusion before they settled and she was smiling softly down at Kara, mostly with her eyes.

She reached down and grabbed one of Kara’s hands, and lifting it, tugging Kara gently upright with her. The angle was a bit of a strain, or would have been if she weren’t Kryptonian, but she willingly followed Lena’s instruction, certain she’d follow her anywhere.

Lena placed their joined hands over her shirt, right where her heart was. Kara could feel it thumping through the thin fabric, could feel her skin tingle as Lena’s warmth radiated out. She felt her face heat, but was unable to tear her eyes from where Lena was gently stroking Kara’s hand over her heart.

“This is how you affect me,” Lena said simply, eyes bright and glowing in the darkness. Her heart rate was strong and powerful, full of life and love.

“Rao,” she whispered and Lena’s lips curled.

“Rao?”

“Wha-what? I um, wow, I meant-“ she paused as she realised what she was saying, where she was and what she was doing.

She loved Lena, and Lena loved her. If she wanted to go any further with Lena then she needed to tell her. She had planned on telling her when she came over… but then she got distracted.

“Lena I….” She hesitated and slowly pulled her hand from Lena’s chest, not sure she would be able to formulate an articulate confession and explanation while she was effectively groping her best friend.

Lena let it happen, brow tightening in concern, but her touch was light and sweet as she interlocked their fingers.

“I have something to tell you,” she hedged, nervously looking at the intertwined fingers. Lena squeezed them lightly in encouragement.

“I-,” she hesitated and swallowed, and the sound was loud to her own ears. “I- this secret its- its important and one I’ve kept my entire life and I don’t want you to think I didn’t want to tell you because of who you are but it was because of who I am and I didn’t want you to get hurt because of it and I love how you treat me like I’m a hero even though I’m just plan and ordinary Kara Danvers and I was selfish because I didn’t want anything to change because I love you and couldn’t be the thought of you hating me or not wanting to be my friend but I have to tell you this and I’m scared that you will reject me and I don’t know if it would change anything but-“

“Kara,” Lena’s voice was tipped with amused affection and Kara halted her rambling, feeling her face flush even further. “I know,” she said simply and lifted their hands bringing Kara’s hand up to her mouth. She placed a soft, sweet kiss on her pulse point and pressed her cheek into Kara’s palm while Kara blinked owlishly at her.

“You-“ she blinked and shook her head a little.

“I. Know.” Lena said slowly and nuzzled further into Kara’s palm. “And I love all of you, Kara. Kara Danvers,” she placed a kiss on the palm before pulling back a little. “Kara El,” she pressed a gentle kiss to the fingertips and then turned Kara’s now limp hand over and pressed her lips to her knuckles. “And Supergirl.”

Kara took a long moment to process everything and then- “Zor El,” she said and there was curiosity in Lena’s green eyes.

“Kara Zor El,” Kara said, heart hammering as she realised that Lena knew who she was, and loved all that she was.

“Kara Zor El,” Lena repeated back to her before smiling at her. “I love you, Kara Zor El.”

Kara gave a little giggle. Hearing the woman she loved saying her name, and loving her all the same, was…. Beyond everything. She was pretty sure she was smiling like a goof, sunlight inside of her. Giddy.

“I love you too, Lena Luthor,” Kara sat up completely and wrapped Lena in her arms.

Lena chuckled and returned the embrace. Kara could hear their hearts beating in unison and sighed in contentment. For the first time she felt at home. In Lena Luthor’s arms, in the loving embrace of the woman she loved, and who loved her, Supergirl and Kara Danvers felt safe and loved and wanted. For a woman who held her heart on her sleeve, and gave it freely to everyone she came across, having someone strong enough, and willing enough, to love her, all of her, was world changing.

She knew there would be trials and tribulations ahead, and likely obstacles on all fronts, but Kara knew they would get through it. Because in Lena’s arms, feeling her love, Kara Zor El was home.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for coming on this journey with me. In the future I may add to this-may not- lets see where the muse takes me. Mwah! <3


End file.
